Super Smash Brothers: Guardians Arise!
by PitFTW
Summary: An old enemy returns, this time ripping the souls of the Smashers away from their bodies. By taking possession of them, he hopes to take over the Smash World. 100 years later, the Smashers must turn to humans for help. But some just can't get along...
1. Prophecy

Chapter One: Prophecy

**Hello all! This has been in my head for a while now and I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything… *sigh***

A cold breeze wafted its way into the darkened room as the mighty oak doors burst open, sending chills down the spines of the many dark figures that shuffled about. From between these two oak doors an even taller figure appeared, glowing an unearthly pale blue in the deep darkness that surrounded him. In his right hand he carried a single chain, so powerful it radiated a golden dazzling light and seemed to throb with its immense power. The man's footsteps echoed eerily as he entered the room, the shuffling of the many other dark figures quieting to a mere whisper.

A great murmur began, low at first, but soon increasing in volume until the great uproar was almost deafening. The glowing blue man turned to the source of the murmur, his unseen eyes seeming to scan the room for the one who dared make a sound in his presence. At once, the roar quieted down again.

Almost smirking in satisfaction with his nonexistent mouth, the man continued with his mighty stride, every step bringing him closer and closer to a single dark figure at the end of the hall. Tall and muscular was this figure, with eyes that glowed a deep crimson red. No mouth could be seen upon his face as he stood upright and erect, awaiting the approach of his master. In his two hands he carried only a single jar, filled with a strange golden substance that gently throbbed within.

The blue figure stopped in front of him, looking down upon this shorter body as if it were nothing but dirt. "What is it, Primid number 2453? Why have you called me here tonight?"

The Primid said no words, only making a strange gurgling sound from its throat as it knelt before the great man before him. With his two hands he held out the jar of golden substance, a vapour it was, as he bent even lower and pressed his face to the man's feet, as if kissing them. The blue man grabbed the jar from the Primid before him and gazed into it with such intent, the golden substance seemed to shiver under his glare.

"Brilliant…" he whispered, "The last one, their last hope… captured and here in my very hand…"

Another gargling noise escaped the Primid at his feet. The tall man turned to it again, a look of disgust contorting his features. Dropping his golden chain, he shot out a long and well muscled arm, grasping the Primid by the throat.

"Where is the body?" he demanded, his voice little more than an angered whisper.

More gargling noises were heard as the other Primids spoke to each other in their own language. More shuffling could be heard as well as some of them went to the very back of the room, as if to fetch something. It wasn't long until they returned, carrying the body of a young man with them.

This man was well built and muscular, a mop of brown hair topping his head. His face could only be described as being carved by the gods themselves, sometimes invoking a horrible envy on those around him. He was dressed in a pure white toga, sandals encasing his feet. Atop his head he wore a crown of golden olive leaves, a symbol of a great champion in his world. His eyes were opened, showing off the clear crystal blue within, yet they possessed no spark of life, no emotion or personality. But what was most perplexing of all was the two pure white wings that sprouted from his shoulders. They seemed to glow white hot in this dark world, every feather defined and pristine.

A smile seemed to tug at the corners of the man's nonexistent mouth as he gazed at the body of this boy. "Yes… and so my victory is sealed…"

With a sudden wave of his arm, he dropped the Primid he was holding and snatched up his chain, waving it around over his head. With a great cry that rang for miles, he directed this chain so that it plunged deep within the body of the winged boy. As he did this, the golden vapour seemed to shudder in pain, a silent scream emitting from the jar.

Blood, crimson red blood, seeped out from the body of the boy, gushing out like a fountain. Quick as lighting, the tall man snapped his fingers and a number of Shadow Bugs appeared, coming from the darkest shadows of the room. Another snap directed these horrible bugs to the boy's opened wound, which they soon attacked fiercely. Faster and faster they attacked the wound until they decided enough was enough and began to enter the wound itself. A horrible sight met the eyes of the witnesses as the Shadow Bugs dugs deeper and deeper into the body of the winged lad, filling his blood vessels and clouding his mind.

The body began to vibrate, shaking horribly as the Shadows Bugs filled him. Faster and faster he shook until he could shake no more. Closing his eyes, he let out an unearthly cry, higher than a banshee's wail and as horrid as the howl of a great wolf. Louder and louder he screamed until his eyes flew open once more, shining a horrible deep yellow.

Almost at once, the screaming stopped. A dark aura surrounded the boy as his yellow eyes darted about, contemplating his surroundings. With another great cry, he kicked away the Primids that held him and flew up into the air, coming down in a lightening fast dive upon a Primid hidden deep within a corner. There were sounds of fighting, as well as the horrified screams of the Primid and then the boy emerged again, victorious.

In his right hand he carried a bow unlike any other in the world. Gleaming gold and blue, this bow was sharp enough to be a sword, yet powerful enough to double as a bow. A set of golden rings had appeared on his wrist, these rings used to create his arrows as he fired electric blue arrow after arrow at the great crowd below him. When he tired of firing arrows, he dived down again and split his bow in half, transforming it into twin blades. Over and over again he sliced his way through the crowd.

The audience was in panic now, fear overcoming their reason. They ran to and fro as the boy continued to slice his way through, screams escaping their mouths. Suddenly, the tall blue man's great voice sounded through the room, creating a strange echo in the din.

"Pit! That's enough from you…"

The boy immediately lowered his blades, standing at attention. The Primids timidly stepped forward and surrounded him, ready to strike. Pit paid no attention to them as he continued to gaze at the man before him.

A smile played at the man's lips. "You are an excellent warrior, young angel. And you are the perfect addition to my army, the final thing that stands in the way of my domination of the Smash World. Know that I, Tabuu, am your new master. You are to obey all my orders without question and help me lead my armies to victory! Is that understood?"

The angel nodded. Getting down on his knees, he threw his bow at Tabuu's feet, swearing allegiance to the Lord of Subspace in his own silent way. Tabuu smiled, knowing that his victory was near.

"Get rid of this," he said, carelessly tossing the jar to a nearby Primid, "And prepare my training grounds. Young Pit here has much to learn before he is as capable as Sir Ike and Prince Marth…"

Taking Pit by the shoulders, Tabuu slowly led him out of the room as the Primids shuffled about some more. Once the oak doors closed, a great murmur of gargling broke out. In the midst of all of this, the Primid with the jar of golden vapour calmly walked over to a nearby window and threw it outside, not even bothering to look to see if it landed in the dumpster down below.

The large white hand hidden underneath opened his palm ever so carefully, taking care not to shatter the precious object he held. A strange sound, almost a sob, escaped him as he gazed at the little jar of golden vapour. Clutching the valuable object tight, he concentrated on his destination and teleported away.

"Brutha!" another hand shouted, "You eez home!"

"Yes, Crazy," his brother answered wearily, carefully placing the jar on a large wooden table before him.

Atop this table sat a great many jars, much like the one that had just been brought. However, each of these jars had a different colored vapour floating in it and each vapour seemed to be alive. Some vapours sat quietly in their jars, untroubled with their captivity. Others smacked themselves against the glass, as if trying to find a ways of escape. Still others seemed to turn to look at the golden substance as it was placed on the table, as if trying to figure out what that was. The large hand let out a sigh.

"My Smashers," he whispered, his voice choked with tears, "Oh, what have I done?"

"You is doingz nothingz, brutha…" Crazy said sadly, "It all my fault!"

"No Crazy," the hand said firmly, "I was the one who didn't tell the Smashers and I should be the one to fix it."

With that, he leaned closer to the jar of golden substance, his middle finger almost touching it. The golden substance seemed to sense his presence as it clamoured closer to him.

"Pit," the hand said, his voice barely above a whisper, "Pit, can you hear me?"

The golden vapour seemed to stand still at first. Then, it began to swirl in small circles, like a whirlpool in the ocean. It wasn't long before shapes began to form in this vapour, twisting and turning until they formed a pair of eyes. Clear blue eyes…

"Master Hand!" the vapour shouted, "It's really you! What's going on? What happened to me? How come I don't have my body?"

"I think you know what happened, Pit," Master Hand said gravely.

"Well… not really," Pit said sheepishly, his eyes downcast, "Last thing I remember was that I was cutting through those Primids like paper! And then when I tried to strike Tabuu, he shot this… this weird red blast at me and I felt as if I was floating away…"

"Your soul was ripped away from your body," the hand explained, backing away from the jar a bit, "By now, Tabuu probably has those Shadow Bugs crawling around in it, ready to possess it for him…"

"Gross!" Pit exclaimed, his eyes narrowing in disgust, "We should get myself back then, shouldn't we?"

Master Hand made a gesture, as if he was shaking his head. "It doesn't work like that, Pit. Neither Crazy nor I are powerful enough to take on Tabuu head on. Worse, we're probably not powerful enough to even get past the possessed bodies of the others. What we need is the help of the guardians…"

"The guardians?" Pit asked, confusion evident in his voice.

It was at that moment that a jar of vapor behind him began to swirl, shapes forming within its depths. This vapour was dark green in colour, like that of the trees of the forest. Slowly, the shape of wolf- like eyes appeared, coloured a piercing sky blue.

"Pit!" the dark green vapor yelled, "You too?"

"Link?" Pit asked, his eyes widening in surprise as he turned around.

A jar of lavender vapor next to Link began to swirl as well, forming two beautiful sapphire orbs. "Pit! Oh, thank the goddesses!"

"Zelda!" Pit exclaimed.

"So you're stuck in these accursed jars too, huh?" a dark blue vapour asked, blue eyes rimmed with red appearing.

"Shut up, Falco," a jar of sky blue vapour muttered, the voice of a woman coming from it, "No one wants to put up with your whining! We're all in the same boat, here…"

"Oh, so that's how you wanna play, huh sister?" Falco asked, his eyes narrowing angrily.

"Bring it on!" the woman said fiercely.

"Calm yourselves!" Master Hand's voice rang out, "Samus, Falco, if you two don't quit your useless fighting right now, I'll never get on with what I'm going to say!"

The two vapors retreated into an angry silence, occasionally shooting glares at each other from afar. Master Hand cleared his "throat".

"Yes, well… good. Now, as I was saying we need the help of the Guardians of Smashville to get your bodies back. These guardians will act as your vessels in which you shall be st-"

"Back it up a bit," a jar of crimson vapour commanded, "You're saying that we're going to be living inside a bunch of peoples' heads?"

"That's right, Ike," the hand answered, "The guardians are chosen by destiny to be the worthiest of mortals to house and protect your souls. They will be human, of course, but-"

"Well that's just great!" a cloud of puce green vapour said angrily, "We're going to be 'protected' by a bunch of stupid humans!"

"Watch-a your tongue, Bowser!" a cherry red fog said indignantly, "I'm-a as human as anyone and-a look how many times-a I can beat you!"

"May I continue?" Master Hand asked, slightly offended.

"Yes-a please!" a green vapor said eagerly.

"Yes, well… continuing from where I left off, these guardians will be human, yet they'll inherit some of your powers," Master Hand continued, "They will, for example, be able to make great use of your weapons, perhaps not well at first, but with a bit of training they should master them. Th-"

"There's no way in heck I'm letting some stupid little human touch my gun!" a light grey vapour shouted.

"Wolf, you have at least ten guns to your name," an orange cloud sighed, "At least just give up _one_ to be touched by human hands!"

"Anyways," the hand said, shooting what seemed like a glare at the two jars, "Their strength and speed will also be enhanced and they will-"

"They'll always be too slow!" an ocean blue vapor announced.

"Shut up, hedgehog!" a cerulean fog shouted.

"What's wrong, Craptain Falcon?" the hedgehog asked innocently, "Jealous that you're too slow?"

"If I had my body right now…" Captain Falcon murmured darkly, shooting a glare at the hedgehog.

"And of course, they will need to band together and find a way to destroy Tabuu," Master Hand finished, glad that some of the Smashers had not been so rude as to interrupt him.

A silence fell between the Smasher and the hand, punctuated only by the sounds of Crazy Hand blowing raspberries at them. It was Link who finally spoke, his voice filled with concern.

"So… how are we going to find these people?"

"When they're born," the hand said simply.

A low murmur broke out amongst the Smashers at his words. Then, a black vapour seemed to rise up and face the hand before him, evil yellow eyes peering out at him.

"And how shall we know when they're born?" the vapour asked, his voice low and cruel, "After all, there's no possible way we can seeing as we're nothing more than a bunch of colored smoke!"

"Calm yourself, Ganondorf," Master Hand said, "I've placed a magical seal on each of your jars. When the guardian is ready for your presence within their mind, the seal shall break and you will be swept into their mind. From there, you are to talk to them and try to get to know them. After all, if you're going to be sharing thoughts, you should do so quite often…"

"But what about when we need to think by ourselves?" a light blue vapor asked.

"Simple," Master Hand replied, "You will have the ability to exit their mind for a brief period of time, but be warned that it'll weary you horribly and that humans have a very limited amount of energy to spare for the day. If you use up too much of it, you could end up either seriously hurting, or even killing them!"

"That would be nice," Bowser muttered.

"But you shouldn't," the hand said firmly, "Not unless you want to spend the rest of eternity as smoke. Now, is that all of your questions?"

For a few moments, nobody said a word. Finally, Pit's voice broke out once more, his voice cracking slightly at the thought.

"How long will we have to wait?"

The giant floating hand seemed to pause for a moment, trying to find the best way to word his answer. Finally, after a long period of silence he allowed a sigh to escape him. Shaking his head, he spoke the words that seemed to burn themselves into the very recesses of Pit's mind forever, not allowing him to forget a thing that was said here tonight.

"It could be anywhere between one year and an eternity…"


	2. Psyche

Chapter Two: Psyche, Angelic Commander

**Thanks for all your reviews! **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own anything. Can someone give me Miyamoto's number?**

"Psyche, I don't… we shouldn't… let's go back…"

The young girl smirked at her friend, her dark brown eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "What's wrong, Austin? What happened to your sense of adventure?"

The boy looked over his shoulder as she spoke, his hazel eyes alert and nervous. His neck length brown locks were drenched in a nervous sweat, the precious beads shining like diamonds upon his clear forehead. He was dressed in rags, the horribly thin clothes hanging off his frame like bits of old skin. His feet were scantily covered in worn white socks, now grey because of the dirt and filth all around him. He was thin, almost skeletal from the horrible life he was forced to lead, his brown eyes seeming to pop out of their sockets. His whole body shook with a cold, nervous tension as he and his friend climbed higher and higher, following the dim light of the candle the young girl held in her hand.

His friend was much like him in appearance, with long brown hair and deep brown eyes. She too shook with the slightest amount of effort as her right hand held the candle aloft. She was dressed in a ragged and patched dress, the bodice splashed with a strange black substance. Like her friend, she was thin, so skeletal that every one of her ribs showed through. She was extremely pale, almost sickly, her long hair swept and unkept. It was a wonder she could hold herself so upright, weak as she was. Her lips were dried and chapped, glowing palest pink in the dim light of the candle. She let out a tiny sigh as her friend finally stopped looking about before continuing on her way once again.

"Do you always have to be so paranoid?" she grumbled, her footsteps making small creaking noises on the stairs.

"Do _you_ always have to be so reckless?" Austin retorted, casting a glance over his shoulder.

The two young humans climbed up the stairs in silence, punctuated only by the soft creaking of the rotting wooden stairs. Psyche's candle flickered on ahead of them, illuminating the ever so dim halls. A thick layer of dust covered the steps completely, causing the two to cough convulsively, almost blinding them to their destination up ahead. The tiny particles of dust entered their lungs over and over again, their coughs reaching an almost deafening level. Once Psyche collapsed, clutching her ribs with her free hand as dust flew up around her.

Austin knelt down beside her, doing his best to hold back his own coughing as he gently pushed his friend's long hair away from her face. "P-Psyche we _have_ to go back… we can't keep going like this…"

The girl immediately shot up, striking her hand across his cheek. A searing red mark appeared on the ghostly white cheek of her friend as tiny tears appeared in his eyes. A flash of regret crossed Psyche's face as she saw this, but it immediately melted into a hard scowl.

"We've made it this far already. What's the point of turning back?"

Her friend staggered to his feet, the searing red mark still evident on his pale features. "I guess… I guess you're right…"

"O-Of course I'm right!" she stammered, not meeting his eyes, "When have I ever been wrong?"

A small laugh escaped the boy, soon turning into a dreadful coughed. His young friend rushed forward to help him, but he halted her with one of his thin white hands. When she stopped he brought this hand to his mouth to catch his cough. With every heave of his chest, another cough escaped him, causing Psyche to take a few steps back in fear. Her brown eyes widened in horror as her friend finally stopped coughing and removed his hand from his mouth. Blood, bright red blood, was slathered all over his hand.

"Oh my god…" she gasped, taking deep pants and clutching her heart, "A-Austin… your hand…"

The boy stood up with a great effort and turned to face her, swaying slightly on his feet. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Y-Your hand… the b-blood," she stammered, unable to tear her eyes away from the horrible red substance that covered her friend's hand.

In response to her fear he shrugged, hiding his hand behind his back. "I haven't really been feeling well for a while so… it's probably normal."

Psyche shook her head, taking a few steps closer to the boy. "That's not normal… we have to get you to a physician… and fast…"

Austin shook his head, sending his grimy locks flying. "It's like you said before, we made it this far so what's the point of turning back?"

"B-But… your hand…"

"Forget my hand!" he answered her emphatically, "According to you we only have a couple more flights of stairs. Let's just get to the top and then worry about stuff like this!"

The girl hesitated for one brief moment before ascending the stairs again. Step after step met them, creak after creak sounded below them. Though they squinted their eyes as hard as they could, they were unable to penetrate the unending darkness beyond the candle's flame. Higher and higher they climbed, more dust filling their noses as they went. It was a horrid experience, ambling through the darkness with naught but a candle and dust to keep them company, but still they pressed on.

"Here it is," Psyche panted as they came to a rotting wooden door, "I found those wonderful things in here!"

Austin raised an eyebrow, trying his best to hold back a cough. "Wonderful things? In this time?"

A laughed escaped his friend as she grasped the doorhandle, feeling the smooth metal between her fingers. "Yes… in this time…"

With a small flourish she swung the door open, allowing a tiny breeze to sweep into the darkened hallway, tousling their hair and tickling their cheeks. A small gasp escaped Austin as he gazed into the room that was hidden behind the great door, his chest rising and falling heavily. His brown eyes were wide as saucers and filled with awe.

A small room had been revealed, filled with a great many boxes and cloth covered furniture. A healthy layer of dust covered every surface, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Psyche couldn't help but laugh as her friend's shoulders tensed visibly at the site of the room, his laboured breaths coming out in tiny puffs. Taking his thin hand, she led him into the room with many a wobble and a creak until they reached the center and simply stood there, staring at everything that surrounded them.

"T-This… this is amazing…" Austin whispered, his great brown eyes sweeping the room.

"You're telling me!" Psyche laughed as she reached into one of the many dusty boxes, "There's so much stuff in here I can stay in here for days on end if I wanted to!"

The boy watched as his friend withdrew a strange looking object from the box. It was a quaint little thing with that looked like a small grey stick. There was a cap on one end and when Psyche pulled off this cap, a pointy, but not sharp thing appeared from underneath it. The two stared at the fascinating object for a bit longer before Austin broke the silence.

"What is that thing?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of it.

His friend's brows furrowed together thoughtfully as she tried to think of an answer. "I… I think it's that thing Jason talked about the other day… you know, the thing our ancestors used to write with? A… A pan, I think…"

"A pan, eh? Man, it feels so weird to see something our ancestors once used!"

She answered with a distracted nod as she pulled out yet another object out of the box. This object was jet black in color, with a long black handle and a round attachment to it. It smelled distantly of fried eggs and bacon. Though covered in dust and cobwebs, it shone like a star in the light of the moon coming through the great window.

"And this… this is a pen, I think!" Psyche exclaimed, holding it aloft, "It was used to cook meals!"

Austin closed his eyes as he took the pan and breathed deeply, inhaling its exotic scent. In his mind's eye he could only imagine the image of fresh fried eggs and bacon he had seen the Smashers eat so many times as they supervised their work. It had been pure torture for him to sit there at his work station, melding together some type of radioactive material to create synthetic Smashballs as real ones were lost long ago. How he wished at that moment that he could taste the precious foods on his tongue, relishing in the warmth and savoring the flavour. Compared to the disgusting porridge they were served morning, noon, and night, what their slave drivers ate was heaven to all the workers of the plant.

"Smash Planet must've been some place back then," he murmured, still lost in his own world, "Good food, no slave labour, the Smashers helping us out every now and then…"

Psyche whirled on him, disbelief etched all over her pale face. "You don't believe in those old legends do you?"

"Why not?" he asked, shrugging a bit, "Everyone has some good in them right? Everyone has a soul don't they?"

"No way in heck those stupid Smashers do…" Psyche mumbled irritably.

A small sigh escaped her friend, soon turning into a rattling cough. He held back his friend with his hand as she ran forward to assist him, more blood appearing on his other hand as he kept coughing. It was a horrid sight indeed to see this young man on all fours, coughing up blood like there was no tomorrow.

"I'm fine," he grunted in response to his friend's worried glance, "Got anything else in those boxes?"

Psyche hesitated a moment before dipping her hand in the box once again, rummaging through the pile of rubbish. When she withdrew her hand again, she came up with a truly ancient looking object. It was rectangular with a dark cover and strange white things within it that the girl knew to be called "pages". These pages were thin and fragile, yellowed with age and covered with strange looking scribbles and blots of a black substance called "ink".

A musty smell filled the room as she opened it, releasing dust galore. On the very first page there was naught but a title, written in beautiful script. She squinted at it, trying to make it out.

"T-The… Die… Ar… Ya… The Die- Ar- Ya of… M-Master… R…. H-H… Ae… nd. The Die- ar- ya- of Master R. Hae-nd…" she murmured, her voice full of confusion, "What's a Die- ar- ya?"

Austin's jaw dropped. "Y-You know how to read?!"

She shrugged. "I sort of taught myself how to when we were younger… and Jason taught me some… but what's a Die- ar- ya?"

A small laugh escaped her friend. "I think what they're trying to say is _diary_. The _Diary_ of Master R. Hand!"

With a small scowl, Psyche turned the page to gaze at the date written rather sloppily in the top right hand corner: _June 21__st__, 2010_.

"That's over a hundred years ago…" the girl said in awe.

"So the legends must be true!" her friend said excitedly, "Master Hand was the kindly ruler of Smash Planet and his faithful Smashers were always ready to obey him!"

Excitement pumped in their veins as the two leaned over to gaze at the entry, trying to make out the mess of scribbles on the page. In Psyche's eye, letters formed, then words, then sentences. She leaned in even closer, her nose almost touching the page as she began to read: _I, Master Right Hand, hereby write this now as a record for one of the greatest burdens I have had to undertake in the many years I have been al-_

A hard rapping was heard on the door, as if there was someone on the other side wishing to come in. the two teens backed away in fear, towards the great window in the very back of the room. Yet another hard rap was heard as the two continued to back away. Psyche's back met the window, the cold glass sending chills down her spine. Austin had grabbed a heavy brass lamp from somewhere and stood there in battle position with both hands grasping the heavy metal as if for dear life.

The rapping stopped, being instead replaced by a great bang. Though the wood of the door was strong, it would not hold for much longer as the banging continued. Psyche shrank back in fear, grasping the diary tightly.

"Psyche, break the window and jump," Austin said, his voice quavering slightly, "Break the window, jump out, and run like Hell!"

"No!" she yelled, tears appearing in the corner of her eyes, "I can't leave you!"

"If they get to us we're both dead!" Austin screamed at her, "At least if one of us survives, we can escape with that diary and see if there's a way to make the world how it once was a hundred years ago! Psyche, get out of here!"

"But what about you? I can't leave you! You'll never be able to hold them off!" she sobbed, "Austin, please!"

It was at that moment that the door flew right off its hinges with a great _bang!_ Three Smashers rushed into the room. Three swords flashed silver in the dim moonlight, three capes blew in the breeze. Something deep within the two squirmed fearfully at the site of the three caped Smashers, the Legendary Swordsmen, the Fire Emblem Crew.

For a few moments, the five people did nothing, merely stared at each other with hate and scorn shining within their eyes. With a sudden sweep of his arm, Austin swung the lamp so that it smashed through the window, sending glass flying everywhere. Psyche, leaning against this window lost her balance and toppled into the clump of bushes below, clutching the diary close to her chest. She stood up immediately and let loose a scream of fear as she saw two strong pairs of arms grab her beloved friend, one pair pinning him down while the other wrenched the lamp from his grip. Her eyes widened in horror as a fountain of blood appeared out of nowhere, cascading out the window and showering the young woman in horrible crimson fluid.

"No…" she whispered, her chest heaving, "No… he can't be… he can't be…"

She fell to her knees, the diary hanging limply in her hand. For a few brief moments, she was merely an empty shell, no feeling and no mind of her own. A sudden _thump!_ Behind her knocked her back to reality. Whirling around, she found herself face to face with a mop of darkest blue hair and eyes that glowed a horrible yellow in the dark night. Prince Marth said nothing, only making a gesture that said quite plainly, "Come with me or you'll end up like your pal."

Psyche responded with a swift kick to his crotch before turning tail and running away as fast as her spindly legs could carry her. Footsteps behind her told her that Marth was in hot pursuit, gliding over the many mud puddles and rocks in the way like it was nothing to him. Faster and faster she ran, even when her chest began to heave and her heart felt as if it would burst. Taking a sharp turn, she ran directly into a narrow alleyway only to skid to a stop to keep from colliding with a brick wall. A dead end.

Quiet footsteps behind her made her turn around and meet her pursuer, who was coming towards her with a smirk etched on his smug face. Before she knew it, his fingers were upon her neck, squeezing the air out of her. Her vision was failing, darkness slowly surrounded her. She was dying and she knew it. Closing her eyes, she imagined her friend, seeing his smiling face for the last time…

"_Use the bow!"_

Suddenly, Marth's fingers disappeared. Psyche dropped to the ground in surprise, watching with wide eyes as Marth was blown back against a wall. Almost immediately he picked himself back up again and scanned his surroundings with his glowing yellow eyes. After making sure there was no outside force prowling about, he leaped back onto his feet, Falchion's blade out and ready. The deadly sword shone silver in the moonlight, sending chills down Psyche's spine.

"_Use the bow!"_ the voice screamed again.

As suddenly as the voice began to speak a golden bow appeared in Psyche's hands. It was a beautifully crafted thing, so sharp it could be a sword and so durable it could only be a sacred item. With a small gasp of surprise, the young girl dropped the bow, allowing it to skitter away with many a clatter and clank.

"_Idiot!"_ the voice screamed.

Psyche had no time to react as she dodged the deadly tip of Marth's sword, sweeping a kick at his legs in the process. She knew not of how such a voice had entered her mind, but she had no intention of letting it stay.

"Get out of my head!" she screamed, slamming her fist against a wall.

The footsteps of Marth of Altea could be heard behind her, every step taunting her, telling her of just how weak and defenceless she truly was.

"_No time! Just grab the bow!"_

Another quick dodge brought the girl to the location of the precious bow, its shining tips almost lost in a dark gutter. With her thin fingers she grabbed the bow and held it loosely in her weak hands as the point of Marth's sword came down upon her bare shoulder, splattering her blood everywhere. A great cry of pain escaped her as she collapsed, grasping her bloodied shoulder.

"_Attack him!"_ the voice yelled, _"If you want to live, you should attack him!"_

The girl took no notice of the voice as she lay there whimpering, the golden bow at her feet. Her life flashed before her eyes as she saw the horrible tip of Marth's sword raise high in the air, pointed directly at her precious beating heart.

"_For the love of Palutena!"_

Suddenly, Psyche felt a strange sensation in her very being, as if a hand was wrenching out her very soul. One moment she was staring straight into the horrid yellow eyes of Marth Lowell and the next she was floating in a strange realm, a realm of dreams. Shadows flitted past her, the image of her parents, her friends, a world where Smashers and humans got along in harmony…

It was then she noticed a strange shape, a small portal to the outside world. With small, measured steps she carefully made her way over to the portal and looked out, her eyes widening in awe. On the other side she saw _herself_ using the bow to fight off Marth. Her every movement was swift and unchanging, as if she were dancing. Her every move was quick as lightning, her every block strong as a rock. And yet, what had to be the most amazing off all were the color of her eyes, no longer deep brown but a brilliant sky blue.

She watched with wide as her blue eyed self dodged and attacked with a fierceness only a great warrior would possess. She could see very clearly how no matter how hard or how swift Prince Marth was, she was swifter. It was strange to see her look so determined, to see her grasping such a heavy bow as if it were nothing at all.

Prince Marth noticed this sudden change in her as well, his great yellow eyes widening inquisitively. With a great war he aimed his sword at her heart and struck. Psyche of the Blue Eyes dodged nimbly and ran the bow right through Marth's body, coming out his back. Marth gasped in surprise as blood stained his tunic, slowly spreading to the ground. He collapsed onto the wet ground, clutching his chest in agony.

"Wow…" Psyche whispered, reaching out to touch the portal.

Before her fingers could even glaze the surface, she was herself again, panting up a storm. The young girl collapsed on all fours as soon as she regained her senses, feeling as if she had just run a thousand miles for days on end. Every bit of energy seemed to sap away from her as she simply knelt there, watching as Marth's deep red blood poured from his body. She knew that he would not, could not die. Sooner or later Ike and Roy would be here and she would stand no chance. Though she tried her hardest to stand, she lacked the energy to do it.

"_Pathetic!"_ the voice spat inside her head, _"Can't even get up after someone does the fighting for you! Heck, you can't even hold a bow properly!"_

Taking deep breaths, she closed her eyes, trying to find where this voice was coming from within her mind. "Who are you? What are you doing inside my head?"

The voice hesitated for a moment before speaking. _"I am Pit Icarus of the Sup-"_

"Monster!" she screamed, "Get out of my head you heartless monster! You horrible, horrible traitor!"

"_Heartless monster?!" Pit protested, "Who's the guy who had to save your pathetic little butt back there? I am!"_

"Get out of my head!" she screamed again, "You don't belong here!"

"_Oh I belong here alright!" _Pit yelled back,_ "If it weren't for me, you'd be dead by now!"_

"I feel dead already," Psyche grumbled, struggling to her feet.

"_Get used to it," _Pit mumbled, _"Unfortunately, I've been chosen to live inside your head of all effin' humans on this planet… Palutena, what have I done to deserve this? A weakling like you won't last two seconds out here without me…"_

"Why would it matter if I'm weak or not?" she snarled, "You can find some other girl's head to annoy!"

"_It doesn't work that way!" _the angel said annoyingly, _"The only time I can leave your head is for a few minutes when I want to think for myself. If you die, I die too!"_

Psyche's eyes lit up as a horrible thought entered her head. "Your life line depends on mine, huh? Well… maybe I ought to end it right now if it means avoiding another brainful of your whining!"

With that, she picked up the bow and examined its ends, staring with wide, interested eyes at its sharp ends. Pit's voice rang out loud and clear inside her head, but there was another hint of something strange in his voice. The unmistakable tinge of fear.

"_D-Don't you dare,"_ he stammered, _"I'm warning you!"_

The girl lowered the weapon, a small smirk on her face. "Then where to, partner of mine?"

"_We're not partners…"_ Pit mumbled, _"I am the leader of an angelic army. You are to refer to me as 'Sir' or 'Commander'."_

"Where to then, _Commander_?" Psyche asked, rolling the last word off her tongue in a sarcastic fashion.

"_Head to the outskirts of Smashville," _Pit answered, _"There are a few people I'd like you to meet…"_

**That is right, ladies and gentlemen! One of the heroes can't read or write!**


	3. Golfer

PItFTWGolfer, Rookie Bounty Hunter

**Another thanks for all your wonderful reviews and a special thanks to my beta readers for helping me out with this chapter and future ones.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own the characters or frankly anything else besides Psyche and the plot… WHY!?!??!?!?**

Smashville, the city of wonders. The name of the city once so beautiful and bustling with life. Time had truly been harsh to this once lively metropolitan, slowly transforming it from a beautiful city of lights to a barren and wasted ghost town. It was here where Lord Tabuu, ruler of the Smash Planet, sat upon his throne of gold.

The humans had long ago been either killed or enslaved. Those who were enslaved were forced to work in factories and many other harsh places where their one job was to harness pure energy in order to create Smashballs. These Smashballs, though powerful, were not the true Smashballs of old. Forged from purest energy, the old Smashballs were much more powerful and much rarer than the ones now synthetically made. It was truly a strange sight indeed to see thousands upon thousands of humans, raging from age 90 to age 5 doing nothing but melding together tainted energies in order to create the tainted synthetic Smashballs. But that was there way of life and even the oldest of the old did not know of any other.

But there were some that knew. The few young humans whose eyes remained pure in the tainted world, who were able to see and think for themselves and who not only dreamed, but hoped for the life their ancestors once led a hundred years ago. These humans were few in number, but within their eyes shone a golden spark of hope that nothing, not even the sting of a whip across their backs can take away.

_He_ was one of them. Since the day of his birth they knew _he_ was one of them. But though the knife was poised over his beating little heart, it shook with fear. A boy so young, so pure in this world was to be taken away by knife in hand because of his golden spark? Is there another way?

The Primid who grasped this knife had dropped the blade, watching as it clattered to the floor. A great shuffling and gurgling could be heard as a few more Primids surrounded the healthy baby boy. More gurgling could be heard as his mother, a weak slave in the factories, slipped away from the world, a smile upon her lips. The baby made no sound as his mother's warmth slowly left her, only gazing with curious bright eyes at the strange beings that surrounded him.

Lord Tabuu was not present at the time. The Primids could _save_ this baby boy if they wished. Though they revered Lord Tabuu as a god, a master like no other, they still felt for the young babies brought into the world from mothers who toiled so hard. They themselves have never been born, only made from the depths of Subspace. They knew not what it was like to have a childhood. Should they deny this boy what they have been denied so long? Though time wore on, the knife was never poised over his heart again.

It was hearing this legend that this boy grew up. At a young age he showed great combating skill, skills so great he was brought before Master Fox and Lady Samus of the Bounty Hunters Training Academy and it was there where he grew up.

The bounty hunters of Lord Tabuu did little more than patrol the streets of Smashville and beyond, always on the lookout for runaway slaves or rebellious activity. They were an elite fighting group, almost as strong as the Smashers themselves, but not quite. They were trained for one purpose: to kill.

It had been years since the boy had been brought to the academy. With his class he had graduated from the academy with honors and received his first powersuit, plasma gun, and hunter's knife. It was also when he graduated did he then receive his first assignment: find the runaway slaves and kill them if they resisted to coming back quietly.

From what he had heard, the whole mess started when a slave girl named Psyche managed to somehow escape the deadly blade of Marth's sword and run away. The only traces of her she left behind was a length of her once long and flowing hair. When scanned, it revealed that this hair also had extremely faint bits of pure energy merged within its DNA, the exact energies once used to create the Smashballs a hundred years ago…

The second trace of the girl was a simple stone monument, sprinkled with the blood of the boy who had been killed. In rough cut letters she had carved, _"Rest in peace, Austin White. A true friend and a dreamer of dreams made real."_ She had also drawn a strange symbol at the very top of the rock, a symbol believed to be a secret clue to her whereabouts should any of her friends happen to see the rock and decipher the message. The symbol was nothing more than a horse, upon which road a shattered jar. Though the most expert scientists spent days examining this strange picture, they were unable to decipher its meaning. With no other clue, Lord Tabuu had ordered his bounty hunters to be on the lookout for such a girl and kill her on the spot if possible.

His plasma rifle was gripped tightly in his sweaty palms, his breath came in short pants as he walked. He had been ordered to leave his powersuit at home since many believed she was just a weak girl who got lucky. Judging from the size of Marth's non deadly, but deep wounds, anyone would've believed otherwise.

A gentle breeze passed him, gently tousling his jet black hair. Dark eyes darted to and fro, trying to spot any amount of movement in the deep shadows. Ever so slightly his hands shook, his light skin paling with every sound that could be heard. His heart raced at an alarming rate, so fast he feared it would burst out of his chest.

"All clear over here!" a voice crackled out of the walkie talkie attached to his belt, causing him to jump and accidentally pull the trigger on his gun, "What about you guys?"

"All clear over here too," a voice answered, sounding quite bored in the process, "What 'bout you, Shade?"

"Nothin'," Shade grunted, "Golfer?"

With a shaking hand, Golfer clumsily unbuckled the walkie talkie and held it up to his mouth, "A-All clear where I am, guys."

"Jeez man!" the first voice laughed, "You sound like you've been jumped or somethin'!"

"Heck yeah!" the second voice cackled, "What happened? Did the ugwy wittle girl come out and scare you?"

Shade only grunted his disapproval as his two partners continued to laugh and joke around. Golfer could feel his anger rising, but held his tongue. Taking a deep breath, he turned off the walkie talkie and kept on walking, holding his gun out and ready. Though he tried to calm himself with soothing words and nice thoughts, he could not stop his body from shaking ever so slightly with fear as he continued to roam the empty streets.

Suddenly, there was a great shuffling as if someone was trying to sneak past him unseen. With his great bounty hunting ears, Golfer was able to pinpoint the exact location of the offender and immediately ran towards an alleyway where a great number of cardboard boxes were piled up. In the very back corner of the alley he saw a slight shift in the shadows and after reaching out a hand, he grabbed onto the bodice of a rather plain brown dress.

Careful not to tear the precious cloth, he wrenched the girl out of the alleyway and forced her to get on her knees. Though she did not match the description of Psyche, she bore the marks of a runaway slave and for that she had to die. Removing a special unbreakable chain from his pocket, he proceeded to tie the defenceless girl up and for the first time he was able to see her quite clearly.

Tall and slim she was, with a set of deep brown eyes and messy brown hair with maroon tips. She was pale, possibly from the extreme starvation the slaves received. Her dress was patched and worn, but well kept and rather cleaner than those of the other runaway slaves Golfer had seen being brought in over the years. She must've just gotten away. Though she glared at him hostilely, her eyes were wide and kind, full of life and laughter even in this dreary time. But what was strangest of all about her was the golden spark that danced within each eye…

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked, her eyes narrowing angrily, "Are you gonna try giving that 'Oh look at me I'm a bounty hunter' speech or kill me now? I guess death would be a nice thing, considering what I've been through…"

"W-What?" Golfer stammered, surprised.

He had been raised with the belief that there was nothing in the world worse than death. He had been trained to do everything to evade death and to deliver it with no hesitation. The bounty hunters were known as the Messengers of Death by some and Death's Hounds by others. They were feared almost as much as death itself. But to hear this girl, no, this _slave_ speak of death like that when she, no, _it _should be happy it was still alive was a thing he could not grasp.

"That's impossible!" he exclaimed, "There's nothing worse than death in this world!"

The slave girl's eyes narrowed even more, a strange fire burning in her eyes. "Look, bounty hunter boy, I don't know what they teach you over at that fancy school of yours, but there are a lot of things that are worse than death. If it were up to me, I would've died years and years ago. After all the pain I've been in, death would be a welcoming change…"

Golfer shook his head, not believing what the girl before him was saying. "Pain? What are you talking about? You should be happy that Lord Tabuu is so merciful with his slaves! He takes good care of them, feeds them, has clothes made for the-"

"Merciful?" the girl asked with a laugh, "He's been anything _but_! Have you ever been in one of the factory rooms? Have you ever _seen_ how the slaves are being treated in there?"

A smirk appeared on her face when her captor did not answer, trying not to meet her eyes. Wriggling slightly in her bonds, she allowed one shoulder of her sleeve to fall, revealing her raw red shoulder hidden beneath. It was a truly gruesome sight indeed, covered in many scars and simply oozing blood. Three deep gashes could be seen in the middle of all these scars, three great big lines simply shining in the dim light of Smashville.

Golfer took a few steps back, his heart racing furiously at the sight of such a shoulder. "N-No… it can't… Lord Tabuu…"

"Lord _Tabuu_," the girl said emphatically, "Has his Smashers do this to us when we stick a toe out of line. If we're not doing a perfect job, we get whipped. It's practically the law around here and his precious Smashers do a _wonderful_ job of following it."

The last words were said with a bitter hatred in her voice, a horrid reminder of what she had to go through in her childhood. Gripping his gun all the more tighter, he approached her with caution and knelt down beside her, gently easing the sleeve over her mangled shoulder. His hands shook visibly as he did this, gone unmissed by the slave girl next to him.

"H-He was always so kind to his bounty hunters," Golfer stammered, still shaking with fear and disgust, "H-He fed us well, never whipped us unless we _really_ deserved it…"

"Well, that's you guys," she muttered, wrenching her shoulder away from him, "Not all of us can possess athletic skill… not when we're overworked and underfed day and night…"

"I had no idea," he whispered, "I honestly… I never…"

"You're forgiven," she answered roughly, "So, are you going to kill me or what?"

His gun trembled even more so in his hand as she said these words, sweat poured down his face in torrents. Was it truly worth it to spill the blood of a girl who had spent her life in torment? Should she be killed or set free? But if he set her free, would he only be causing her more torment?

It was with these questions leaping about in his head that he finally found his voice. "I… I can't. I can't kill you now that I know how… how hard you guys are being treated…"

The girl's eyebrows raised in surprise. "But… the bounty hunting code…"

"I know," he answered, a smile appearing on his lips, "I know I'll be in serious trouble if they ever find out, but… it's just not right to spill blood when they've been abused and tormented their whole life. I'm letting you go and just go ahead and go wherever you're going… start a new, better life than the one you're leading now…"

With that, he proceeded to unbind her. Her eyes had softened now as he undid her chains, the tiny spark of gold flickering slightly as she was set free. She stood up again, this time a smile upon her lips.

"I'm headed to Mount Smash," she told him as he put away his chain, "It's said that the caves there lead to the worlds of the Smashers. And even if that's not true, somehow I feel as if a voice is calling me to go to that mountain."

"Amazing," Golfer said with a small nod, "I guess I should best be getting back, huh?"

The girl grinned. "Yeah, you should… we'll meet again. I know we will…"

With that, she turned tail and dashed away from him. With every step her feet seemed as if they were gliding upon the ground. Laughter shone in her eyes as she was set free at last, free as any bird could be. She did not look back once during her flight of freedom, but she laughed, high and pure.

It was with a small sigh that the bounty hunter placed his chain back into his pocket. He never understood why his fellow hunters always enjoyed killing the runaways, seeing the blood shining on their hands. But now he was more confused than ever. They seemed to enjoy ending the torment of one's life with more torment. The way of the bounty hunter was to kill swiftly and relatively painlessly, but almost every graduate of the academy broke that code. They would do everything from skinning the victim alive to raping them. It was a cruel world that they lived in and they wished nothing more than to get the most fun out of it.

"Well, lookie here!" said a voice behind him, "Poor wittle Golfy didn't have the guts to shoot someone! Poor baby!"

His heart began hammering again as he turned around to face three more bounty hunters. All of them were tall, at least three heads taller than he. Humongous muscles bulged from beneath their clothes, emphasized by the humongous black machine guns they carried. Judging from the golden badges pinned to their shirt, these bounty hunters were part of the elite team. The team was known for its brutality and almost primitive like ways of killing. Rather than using the bullets of the gun, they would use the guns to beat the victim to death. But as brutal and abusive as they were, they always got the job done. And it was because of this that they were favored by Lord Tabuu above all else, save the Smashers.

"What happened to the poor baby?" the middle one said, his voice dripping with malice, "Was the stupid wittle girl to scawy for the poor baby?"

Though he trembled in his boots, he held his ground as the three elite bounty hunters approached him. His face paled horribly as the one standing on the left grabbed his plasma gun and bent it like paper, snapping it like a twig. The ones in the middle and on the right slowly approached him, cracking their knuckles one by one. Without anything idea left, he pulled out his hunter's knife and held it ready. With a flick of his wrist, the middle one sent it sailing away, landing over twenty feet away. With a small gulp, Golfer began backing up.

"We have to teach the poor baby a lesson, don't we Titan? Atlas?" the middle one asked, reaching out and grabbing the rookie bounty hunter by the throat, "He's been a bad, bad boy!"

"Of course, of course," the left one grunted, "Do what ya want, Siegmund."

Siegmund grinned, his face contorting horribly. "Well, well, well… what to do to the poor baby…"

"I've got an idea," the right one said, grinning malevolently, "Baby would just _love_ the idea, won't you baby?"

Almost immediately, he raised his fist in the air and brought it down, crashing horribly right on Golfer's nose. Warm liquid oozed out as he sceamed in pain, writhing slightly in Siegmund's grip. With a malicious laugh, Siegmund slammed his face against the nearest wall over and over again, only increasing the flow of blood gushing out of his nose. A horrible crack told him that he had managed to break Golfer's nose. The smirk on his face widened at the noise, causing him to hurl the boy into the alleyway where a sickening crunch was heard coming from his right arm.

"What's wrong baby?" Siegmund cackled, "Is the baby gonna cwy? Is he gonna go cwy to mommy Samus and daddy Fox?"

Golfer said nothing, merely glaring at them with his dark eyes filled with fear. The three elite hunters approached him, their heavy footsteps echoing slightly in the silence of Smashville. They had their machineguns out and ready, gently fingering the trigger and occasionally wiping a speck of dust off of them. Darkness, thick and black began to surround the bloodied hunter as they approached, choking him, almost blinding him from the impending death that was to come.

"_No!"_

With a sudden force, he felt himself being wrenched away from the world. A world of darkness met him as he felt himself getting lighter and lighter, floating away on a strange cloud of darkness. Shadows surrounded him on all sides, only penetrated by a distant light. Was this death? No, death was supposed to be painful for him. He was in fact floating in a realm of darkness, unable to feel the beating of the guns upon him or the sting of the bullets he had expected to feel.

With no other option he began walking towards the light, coming closer and closer until it almost blinded him. He could see the world very clearly, as if he were looking through a window into the outside world. He could see himself, blood gushing out of his nose, his right arm limp and hanging. But he was fighting them and _winning_. No words could possibly describe his amazement as he saw himself using only one arm to hold two back while he kicked away at the third. His eyes, no longer dark brown, but light blue flashed icily at the elite group of hunters as he continued to fight.

"Whoa…" he whispered, reaching out to touch the portal.

Then, he was himself again. All around him there was blood. His right arm throbbed with unimaginable pain as he stood panting in the alleyway. The bodies of the three elite bounty hunters littered the street.

"_Well, that was fun,"_ a voice in his head said amusedly, _"It's been a while since I've gotten any exercise…"_

"W-Who are you?" he asked, a surge of fear creeping into his voice.

"_I am Samus Aran, professional intergalactic bount-"_

"L-Lady Samus!" Golfer gasped, getting down to his knees, "Lady Samus, I'm sorry! I couldn't control myself and-"

"_Kid, what are you talking about?"_

"Bounty hunters aren't allowed to attack other bounty hunters," he squeaked, "I'm sorry! I'll make it up and-"

"_Okay, I don't know what you've been eating, but there aren't any rules to bounty hunting…"_

"But the school-"

"_Okay, who's school are you going to, first off?"  
_"The one you started with Master Fox when Lord Tabuu came to rule!"

Samus gasped. _"I bounty hunting school?! What kind of nonsense is that? I would never start a school!"_

"B-But…" he stammered, getting up, "Y-You… the school…"

"_Listen kid,"_ Samus said tiredly, _"There's a lot that needs to be explained, but we don't have much time. You need to be somewhere right now and we've got no time to lose. How much food do you have?"_

Golfer checked his pack and the packs of the elite team. "About ten days worth…"

"_Good. Now head over to Mount Smash. There are some people you need to meet…"_

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEE!!!!!!!! *smiles***

**Sorry if there's not enough Smasher action. I promise that they'll be a lot more in upcoming chapters, kay? :)**

**Yeah, so… that's just about it!**


	4. Pikana

Pikana, the Thunder Mistress

**Again, thanks for all your wonderful reviews! And of course, as promised, we will now see less human action, more Smashers kicking butt action! **

**Disclaimer: Do I **_**really**_** need to state the obvious? I mean, if I don't put this every chapter will I go to Hell or something'? Someone tell me **_**why**_** I need to put this stupid thing every chapter!**

The grass was cool, soothing her tired bare feet as she slowly walked into the clearing. Taking a deep breath, she allowed herself to simply be carried away by her imagination, her mind revelling in her freedom. It had not been long since she had been forced to work in a factory day and night, creating synthetic Smashballs for Lord Tabuu. They had been scantily clothed and meagrely fed in the factories. Worse of all, they were abused like there was no tomorrow. And yet here she was, free as a bird, free to do whatever she wished, whenever she wished.

"_Hey, if you're done lazing about, it's high time we build a fire,"_ Pit said irritably, _"Just my luck, getting stuck with a lazy human like you…"_

A scowl crossed Psyche's features. "Look who's talking. _I'm_ the one doing all the work while you're hanging out up there doing who knows what!"

"_If I had my body right now…"_

"Well, you don't," his guardian retorted, "Now if you're going to do nothing all day except give me a headache, I suggest you keep quiet unless you'd want to keep living as smoke or whatever you are for the rest of your life…"

Before Pit could come up with an answer, he couldn't help but feel a single drop of water land on Psyche's head as she searched the ground for potential firewood. Though he ignored it at first, another drop soon made its landing on her head, gone unnoticed by the girl. That drop was followed by another, then another. An ice cold wind rushed by, sending shivers down the girl's spine. Despite this, she continued to search for firewood as if none of this bothered her, but she could not help but begin shivering as another cold wind blew past.

"Aha!" she crowed happily, spying a large number of sticks on the ground, "Found some!"

"_Hey genius, in case you haven't noticed it's starting to rain!"_

With a small huff of annoyance, Psyche gathered up as much firewood as she could carry and began running. Pit's golden bow bounced against her as she continued to run, her deep brown eyes searching for a cave, a cabin, anything to shelter her from the downpour that had just begun. Taking care to keep the precious wood dry, she dashed in the direction of a lone cave, not caring if it had a bear in it or not. The diary of Master Hand was among this pile of firewood and she knew that if a single drop of water landed on one of the yellowed pages, it would be lost forever.

She collapsed on the cave floor, depositing the firewood on the ground. The diary she took care to keep it as far away from her dripping hair as possible. Her ragged clothes did little to shield her from the cold wind that blew constantly into the cave. She was dripping wet and freezing, her teeth chattering unintentionally as she gathered up the wood and shuffled deeper into the cave.

Mumbling incoherent curses to herself, she proceeded to build the fire. Rubbing the soft wood sticks alongside each other, she mentally cursed herself for not having the foresight to at least search for some flint rocks. This thought did not go unnoticed by the Smasher who had taken residence in her mind.

"_I agree! You are an idiot!" _Pit exclaimed, _"Not even having the brains to at least look for some flint first!"_

"S-Shut up!" she snapped through her chattering teeth, "You weren't the one who just ran through the rain holding a ton of firewood and a _bow_!"

Pit's next words dripped with sarcasm, each word flung out like it was poison_. "Oh yeah, I can definitely do all the work for you! Especially considering the fact that when I possess you, your energy will be drained a lot more than when I'm not possessing you! And of course I'll help you out with your work! Oh wait… I DON'T HAVE A BODY!!!"_

"Well, why don't you go make yourself useful and get the heck out of my head so I can _work_?"

The last word was spat out in a similar manner, full of hatred and disdain for the angel. For a few moments, nothing passed between the two except a hardened, horrible silence. Their thoughts intermingled, both of them able to hear exactly how much the other hated them.

It was finally broken by a small crackling as the tiniest of all sparks appeared on the firewood. Her excitement growing, Psyche leaned in and gently blew on the wood. The spark transformed into a tiny flame, barely big enough for a candle to hold. More blowing turned it into a cheerful crackle and then into a roaring fire. Triumph rose in Psyche's heart as she leaned back against the wall and admired her handy work. The orange glow of the flames gently illuminated the cave, the never-ending warmth surrounding her and filling her with a sense of peace.

Visions danced around her as she continued to gaze into the flames. She saw happier days when she and Austin were both in the nursery, carefree and innocent. Neither of them knew about the world of the slaves, how harshly they were treated and how little they mattered in the world. Even when they were slaves the boy was always able to provide that little golden spark in her life, the thing that kept her alive and happy, despite the horrid conditions. In spite of herself, she allowed a single tear to roll down her grubby cheek at the thought that those days and the many days they were both supposed to live through were gone. Forever.

It was not long before her eyelids began to droop and her body relaxed. The warmth of the fire was alluring and soothing, gently dragging her into the warm embrace of sleep. Her consciousness slowly slid away from the world, not caring about the young angel that now lived in her mind. For the first time in what seemed like years, Psyche slept peacefully.

Deep within her mind, Pit was able to sense his young guardian wink out of consciousness as the heat of the fire surrounded her. He could sense how deeply she slept; feel the rhythmic breathing of her chest as she slept on. Her thoughts were mere whispers now, replaced instead with visions of wonderful new worlds and those who were long dead alive again. She was dreaming…

Most potent of all seemed to be that he could now feel a new feeling within her mind. He had sensed this draining away as she ran and laboured to keep herself alive, but this was a new feeling. Rather than the substance leaving her, it was _entering_ her, filling her, and preparing her for the next day. He had sensed this before, when she was in a fitful sleep, but never had he felt such a strange and wondrous feeling as she slept a _peaceful_ sleep. He knew that the strange substance could only be one thing: energy.

"So humans _gain_ energy when they sleep…" he murmured to no one in particular, "So if she's gaining energy, that means I can get out of her head for a bit longer…" Without another thought, he closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling his form wavering slightly as he disappeared.

And then, he was soaring over the moor, going hundreds of miles an hour. For the first time in a long time, Pit smiled, feeling as if he was finally where he belonged. He was flying, _flying_ for the first time in a hundred years. He turned flips in midair, did cartwheels, crowed his happiness to the heavens above.

But this was not right. He looked down at himself, seeing his transparent hands and feet. He was a spirit, a meagre little slip of the warrior he once was. True, he was floating high above the ground, almost being able to touch the clouds. But he could not feel the wind whipping past him as he kept flying. He was a spirit, a ghost who could not feel the soothing moisture of the clouds, could not taste the salty sea air as he flew over the ocean. He felt strangely empty inside, as if a part of his own soul had just been ripped away and floated off.

Pit gently closed his hands into fists, unable to feel his own skin as he fought desperately to not cry out in misery. His transparent form trembled with despair, though he could not feel it. He bit down hard on his bottom lip, though no blood could be shed. He was a spirit, a ghost. He was nothing in this world, _nothing_!

"It's alright," he whispered to himself, "I'll have my body back soon and… and everything's going to be alright…"

Summoning up all his phantom speed, Pit zoomed off in the direction of a great mountain in the distance. In his great hurry he did not notice the bright streak of white he left in the midnight sky. Any human who dared to look up in the sky that night mistook him for a shooting star and those who _were_ able to see this streak collapsed on their knees, their lips forming a silent prayer only they could hear.

**

Mount Smash was a truly wondrous place. Taller than any mountain on the Smash Planet, it is said that no human could ever reach the top or get even close to it. Caves were dotted here and there upon the great mountain, fabled to lead to the world of the Smashers, each of them full of magic and mystery.

The citizens of Smashville used to whisper about what laid at the top of Mount Smash. Many of them claimed that there was treasure of great value hidden at the top. Others agreed that it was possibly a portal to the world where Master and Crazy Hand originated from. Still others came to believe that the top of the mountain did not exist at all. It merely kept going on and on and those foolish enough to try scaling it would soon die from lack of oxygen and starvation.

It was only a thousand years after the rumours of Mount Smash began that a human was courageous and bold enough to scale Mount Smash and make it to the very top. Sworn to secrecy, this man had been rewarded heartily by Master Hand. He was made into a Smasher, the first Smasher, in fact. His name was Mario Mario.

At the very top he had seen a great training ground and base, stocked full of weapons and plenty of good foods. As more and more Smashers joined the ranks, the base and training grounds soon grew to hold a great many things from the many worlds that had come together thanks to the Super Smash Brothers Tournament. It was a wonderful sight to see with Samus's spare powersuit leaning near a basket full of wooden training swords or a few mannequins modelling some of Peach's dresses while a shelf full of Link's bombs hung overhead.

Alone of all the places in Smashville was this base untouched by Lord Tabuu. Since both he and his Primids were unable to scale the mountain themselves, the base remained relatively untouched for a hundred years. And still in the middle of the great room stood a massive table, holding up the jars containing the souls of the Smashers. Two of these jars were empty and overturned, as if a force had pushed the souls out of their jars and into the open. It wasn't long until one of the vapours, a light yellow one, stirred. Two black eyes appeared soon after and a sound escaped the jar, like a yawn. He was soon joined by more yawns and noises and it was not long until all the jars with vapours in them had eyes.

"Another day," a jar of grey vapour muttered irritably, "Another stupid boring day…"

"Cheer up, Wolf!" a jar of pink gas said earnestly, "After all, let's not forget that Pit and Samus have both escaped! Who knows, one of us might be next!"

Wolf rolled his eyes. "Peach, it's been a hundred years. I'm pretty sure that old hand was in over his head and didn't put the seal on properly or something…"

"Don't-a talk about Master Hand-a that way!" a cherry red fog said indignantly, "After all-a, if it weren't-a for him, we wouldn't-a be here right now!"

"Shut up, plumber," Bowser's voice said, coming from a jar of puce green gas.

Suddenly, a pure white streak sailed into the room, shining so bright it would blind any human who dared to look at it. For a few moments, it began to spin. Then, it took shape, forming arms and legs, then hands and feet. The head and body followed them and was soon joined by a pair of perfect white wings sprouting out of the shoulders. Pit's transparent form floated nonchalantly in front of his fellow Smasher, surveying them all with a tiny spark of happiness in his eyes.

"Pit!" the Smashers exclaimed all at once.

A small smile crossed the angel's face as the chorus of voices rose to meet him. "Hey guys, long time no see…"

Down in the very front, he could very clearly see Lucas's light orange cloud and Ness's light yellow cloud eagerly staring up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "What's it like?"

The smile quickly melted into a hard scowl. "Horrible! The humans are weak as heck and the town's a mess! I don't know what Master Hand was playing at when he said that the humans were to help us, but I'm not liking it one bit! Those humans are so weak and so useless and-"

"On the contrary, I believe they're quite powerful for humans."

In a sudden flash of electric blue, Samus was there. Like Pit, she was transparent and floating, a smile upon her lips. Way in the back, both Captain Falcon and Snake's eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful blonde woman now towering over them. She ignored the two and turned back to Pit.

"My guardian's a nice kid. Sure he could use a bit more training, but once that's over and done with, he could be unstoppable!"

"Trade you guardians," Pit mumbled angrily, "Mine's weak, lazy, and useless! She can't wield a bow _or_ a sword to save her life and everything she knows about the outside world could fit into a thimble!"

"Calm down, Pit," Marth said evenly, his voice coming from a cloud of ocean blue, "After all, the girl could still be trying to adjust to the thought of you living within her and not every human could possibly be the same. Perhaps the conditions she was brought up in…"

"That still doesn't matter," Pit scoffed, "She should at least be able to wield a bow…"

An icy silence fell between the confined Smashers and the freed ones. Finally, Pikachu broke the silence, his voice cracking slightly out of fear.

"So… when are they going to get here? Your guardians, I mean…"

Samus thought for a moment before answering. "Golfer's got a good ten days worth of food. And even then he's pretty close to Mount Smash right now. I'd say about another seven day's hike should do it. Pit?"

The scowl deepened. "We'd be lucky if she'd make it here somewhere during the next millennium, that stupid little twit…"

Link couldn't take it anymore. "Pit, that's enough from you! Okay, we all understand that she's not up to your standards, but good goddess, calm down! You've only been with her for a week and she needs time to adjust!"

"She should've adjusted by now!" Pit snapped back, "But she _hasn't_, has she? That's because she _can't_! I don't know _what_ Lady Fate was playing at when she stuck me with her, but I'd like a word or two with her!"

Before Link could protest back, Zelda intervened, her voice high and commanding. "Stop it! Stop it the both of you! Pit, you need to chill out about your guardian and give her time to adjust. She's probably a delicate girl who needs to take her time so she won't exhaust herself. And Link, as gallant as it is to defend Pit's guardian like that, you should keep that temper of yours under control! Pit _just_ got out of his jar and he's still a bit short tempered from when he was trapped in there! You _know_ how claustrophobic he is!"

The two men obeyed, taking to merely glaring at each other in the icy silence. Samus cleared her throat as they did this, putting on a false cheerful smile.

"Well, I best be going! My guardian's going to wake up soon and with a guy like him, you just never know when someone's going to jump out and attack!"

With that, she disappeared in a streak of bright electric blue. After mumbling an inaudible goodbye, Pit disappeared as well, leaving the other Smashers to talk amongst themselves through the jars.

"Wow… Pit's awfully… irritable…" Red the Pokemon Trainer said awkwardly.

"He's probably still recovering from that awful claustrophobia," Kirby sighed, "It _did_ start to get pretty annoying when he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming…"

"But it got better after about fifty years or so!" Peach put in cheerfully, "And that's the important thing!"

The Smashers sat in silence for a few moments more, each lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, there was a great rumbling, as well as a brilliant flash of light. Lightning crackled outside and struck the ground, illuminating the dark little room where the Smashers were kept. Some screamed in fear while others simply widened their eyes. Still others stayed calm, on the verge of anticipation. They knew what was happening and many of them willed the lightning bolt to strike their jar, freeing them from captivity. Unexpectedly a single lightning bolt descended, striking the top of a jar tucked away in the corner of the table. With a sudden gust of wind, the electric yellow vapour kept within was whisked away out into the world. The other Smashers looked on in awe as this vapour escaped, some with jealousy while others with hope. For Pikachu, the yellow mouse Pokemon had escaped into the night sky.

**

Fear. That was the first thing the little Pokemon felt as he zoomed over great forests and pastures. Fear gripped his heart in its icy grip and refused to let go.

Pikachu couldn't help but feel a strange lurching in his stomach as he zoomed over what was left of Smashville since the Second Subspace War. It was a wasteland of a city, full of debris and muck. It was a truly saddening sight indeed and the little mouse Pokemon could not help but stare as he passed over what was once his home.

It was not long until he found himself careening towards a lone building on a hill. Tall and dark it was, with a barbed wire fence and a great many watch towers surrounding it. Every few feet stood an armed security guard, looking quite out of place in the dark surroundings. Pikachu's eyes widened in horror as he found himself misting through a barred cell window. The cell itself was a horribly dark place, padded tightly and smelling of fungus. A foul smelling hole in the farthest corner of the room signalled a place where a prisoner would relieve themself. Of course, what horrified the poor little electric mouse most was the figure, a _human_ that was locked in this torturous nightmare of a cell.

Dressed in rags she was, similar to the ones slaves wore only this was much more ragged and dirty than the rags of the slaves. Her long black hair hung down her face in clumps, looking as if it hadn't been washed in days. Grime and sweat covered her face, as well as her thin arms and legs and she huddled in a dark corner of the room. A ragged sound escaped her throat with her every breath, causing her long bangs to flutter gently as she snored on. A sudden surge of pity found its way into Pikachu's heart as he continued to float there, nothing more than a yellow cloud of smoke.

Taking a deep breath, he began to descend, entering the girl's mind through her left ear. For a moment, he could see only thick black darkness as it crowded around him, welcoming him to the mysterious girl's mind. He could easily see her thoughts, her dreams. Every single one of them was rather scattered and wild. One dream featuring dancing pickles floated by. Another dream featuring humans taking over the world whizzed past. Still another one with plenty of nuclear explosions came to meet him as he continued to tour her mind. He could tell that she had been here a while and that most of her thoughts, all of them really, were rather scattered and at times, crazy. He could see how much she loved Pokemon, the little creatures of his home world. Scatterbrained though she was, he could see that she meant well despite these things and that her spirit was hard, very hard, to break.

Summoning his courage, the little Pokemon managed to find his voice. _"Uh… hello?"_

There was a sudden jolt as the girl's head shot up, her almond shaped eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Who's there? If that's you again, Bob, I don't wanna talk!"

Pikachu frowned in confusion. _"Bob?"_

"So you're not Bob…" the girl murmured, "You sound like a new voice… what's your name, new voice?"

Still taken aback, the electric mouse managed to answer her, though just barely. _"Um… my name is Pikachu and-"_

"PIKACHU!!!!" the girl interrupted with a squeal, "Holy cow I have Pikachu living inside my head! That's _awesome_!"

"_Erm…"_ he could not help but feel slightly afraid of the girl, wondering if the strange force that had blown him here had pushed him in the wrong direction or something.

"My name's Anna, by the way," she continued, "Anna Star, but you can call me Anna! And if you see Bob up there, tell him to get his lazy butt up and say hello to ya! He's been living up there in my head since I was 5 and he wouldn't leave. He's the reason why I'm in this stupid place in the first place!"

Pikachu's stomach squirmed slightly in fear of the girl he now inhabited. He did not understand just what in the world made her tick. Her thoughts whizzed past him, all of them still quite scattered and possibly more insane than ever. Despite his fears, he tried again.

"_So… what are you in here for?"_

Anna snorted. "Why am I in the asylum? Well, that's a pretty funny story 'cause I'm not sure either! One moment, I was on the street talking to Bob and then the next I was being dragged in here by those Primids! Of course, I guess it didn't help when I tried looking at them straight in the eye… they started babbling about how I had this weird gold spark in my eye and how that I might be a problem to 'Lord Tabuu' and stuff like that…"

"_Wait a minute… you can understand the Primids?"_

Anna gave an enthusiastic nod. "Yep! I don't see how people can't learn the language. I mean, once you get all the gargling mastered you can pretty much speak it fluently. Of course, there's that weird factor where a ton of the gargling sounds the same, but I can _still_ understand it! Like that one time when they were talking outside my door and…"

"_Will you be offended if I say that you're insane?"_ Pikachu asked, fearing the worse.

To his great surprise, Anna threw back her head and let out an insane cackle. It seemed to echo for miles around, rattling the bones of everyone who heard it. Pikachu's fear of her only increased at the sound of her insane laughter, causing him to wish he were back in his little old jar.

"How's _that_ for crazy?" she asked when finished.

The Pokemon could only manage a small gulp as she continued to babble on excitedly. Though he was still quite scared, he could not help but listen.

"Say, here's a cool thought! How about since you're Pikachu and I'm Anna and we're both sharing the same head, let's call ourselves… Pikana!" she said excitedly, "Pikana, the Thunder Mistress!"

"_T-That sounds… nice…"_ Pikachu managed, _"Um… we'll need to get out of here to meet the others and-"_

"No can do!" the newly christened Pikana cut in, "Just look at what they did!"

With another horrifying lurch in his stomach, Pikachu's eyes widened in horror as he gazed through a white portal at the chain at Pikana's feet. Jet black and heavy it was, encircling her ankle and chaining her to the wall. Though it was long enough to allow her to walk about her cell, it looked horribly uncomfortable. He wondered how she could possibly be able to sleep with such a device attached to her. Then again, her behaviour told him that she probably didn't sleep much at all.

"_So we're stuck here?"_ he asked, a note of disappointment creeping into his voice.

Pikana nodded. "Looks like it."

Pikachu sighed in disbelief, his transparent shoulder slumping in defeat. He knew there was only one hope left, but it was a risky one and might cost the girl, Pikana, whatever was left of her sanity. And yet he knew that there was no other way. If his guardian was to break free and fulfil her full potential, he had to take this chance.

"_O Mighty Arceus," _he prayed, _"Take pity on this poor Pokemon and bless this girl with your divine power! Bless her so we may have a chance at saving the known worlds!"_

**

"_Hold on a sec, I think I can sense something..." _Samus murmured as Golfer walked past the dark building.

Her guardian raised an eyebrow. "Sense something? Here? The most you can sense here is how nuts the people here are! This is an _asylum_!"

"_I'm pretty aware of that," _Samus told him patiently, _"But what I'm talking about right now is what's entering the asylum right now… can't you somehow sense a sudden surge of… power going in there?"_

Now that she had pointed it out, he found that she was right. Sure enough, a strange aura seemed to radiate from the building, as if a powerful force was inside it. This force, though weak at first, was now growing in strength, filling him with a sense of pride. Lightning crackled through the air, seeming aimed particularly at a single barred window on the rightmost wall. On the other side of this window, he could very clearly hear a raucous cackling, a laugh that sent a chill down his spine.

"_So you notice it too?"_ the bounty huntress asked.

A small surge of impatience went through her as she saw that he had made no move to answer her. Instead, he simply stood there, transfixed by the cackling that had wafted from the rightmost window. Trying to keep her hot temper under control, she tried again.

"_Do you notice it as well?"_

"Huh?" he asked, still slightly distracted.

Samus let out an exasperated sigh. _"Men…"_

"I heard that!"

In spite of herself, the bounty huntress smirked. _"Either way, we should try paying a visit to her… she could use some help…"_

Golfer was amazed. "How could you tell she was a girl?"

Samus let out a laugh. _"Hello, genius! That cackle was obviously a girl's!"_

A light blush appeared on the boy's face. "Oh… right…"

"_Got a grappling hook?"_

A small bead of sweat slid down his cheek. For a moment, he only fumbled a bit with the sling he had constructed to carry his broken left arm, but said nothing. Finally, he found his voice.

"Well… you see… we never really learned anything about grappling hooks at the academy…"

Another sigh from Samus caused his cheeks to redden even more. _"Man, what do they teach you over there? Okay, it's simple. Just grab some of that barbed wire…"_

"You're kidding me, right?" he asked in disbelief, "Those things _hurt_!"

"_Well, it's either grappling hook or you can try to go through the front door and hope for the best…"_

"Easy for you to say," he muttered, approaching the fence, "_You_ don't have a broken arm… or a body…"

With Samus's chuckles ringing in his ears, he proceeded to grapping the wire, trying his best not to cry out in pain.

**

It was his turn. He knew it from the moment the lightning began crackling in the night sky. Quick as a whip, his jar had been opened and he was rushed right out, nothing more than a lime green vapour against the midnight black sky. He was free.

He knew not where he was going, nor did he care. All that mattered was that he was free. Free from the container he grew to hate. Free from all the problems that arose in that jar. Free…

As he soared away, far away, he could see the lime green streak he left reflected in the blue water below. His large eyes widened even more at the sight of how beautiful it was. Though he was saddened at the current condition of Smashville, he could not help but leap with joy at the thought that this strange wind was bringing him closer and closer to his old home.

"Watch out guys," he whispered, "I'm coming home…"

He could see it in the distance, his excitement building to breaking point. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the beauty of the island he missed so much.

"No…"

This place… it had to be a mistake. There were no plants, no life. Every inch of the island he loved was nothing more than a barren, desolate waste land. Every tree, every stone had been badly burned. All the homes were burned as well. With a lurch in his stomach, the Smasher could see bones dotted here and there. The bones of his friends? There seemed to be nothing left of his home.

Just as quickly as it had brought him there, the wind bore him away. One part of him wanted to go, to leave the desolate land. The other part wished nothing more than to stay, to mourn over the loss of his loved ones.

Unable to do anything else, he prepared himself to allow his tears to fall. But try as he might, the salty drops refused to come. He cried out, trying his hardest to show his respect for his old home. Realization dawned on him then and there, feeling like a razor sharp blade in the very core of his heart.

He was a ghost, a spirit. He could try his best to shed tears, but he knew he couldn't. Spirits can't cry.

**Okay… so I lied about the kicking butt part in this one… but next one! Yeah, this was getting kinda long and I **_**really**_** wanted to get it out and… yeah… sorry!**

**But on the bright side, we saw lots of**** Smasherness**** in this one, right? RIGHT!?!?!?**


	5. Mah

Mah, Paradise Queen

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything… or do I?**

"Ha! Check mate, again!" Pikana crowed, letting loose yet another unhinged cackle.

Pikachu felt his stomach squirm as he looked through the eyes of the girl whose body he inhabited and at the patch of nothingness that she claimed to be her chessboard. Not for the first time, he squinted a bit to try to make out something, anything that looked remotely like a chessboard. Once again, he let out an involuntary sigh gone unnoticed by his guardian.

"Take that Pikachu!" she squealed, "I just totally pwned you in chess! Again!"

"_Erm… sure…" _he said uneasily, _"Congrats… I guess…"_

"Man, you're a lot better than Bob though," she chattered, "Bob takes forever to make a move and even then I beat him in like two seconds! But there _was_ that one time when he cheated and tricked me into looking out the window while he switched the pieces around… never trust the random voice inside your head, especially while you're playing chess!"

The uneasy feeling only grew within the little mouse Pokemon as he watched Pikana grasp the air and plop invisible pieces on the nonexistent chessboard before them. Already they had spent a few hours in this cold, dark room. With nothing else to do, Pikana had started this chess game and it had kept him slightly fascinated and occupied even for about five minutes.

A tiny sigh escaped him as memories flashed before his eyes. He saw the lush, wide open fields of Kanto, how he loved to run free throughout the vast landscape with all his friends. His nose tingled ever so slightly as he tried to remember the scent of every flower as he sniffed them, his tongue watering slightly at the fresh oran berries he would eat. Most potent of all was the memory of his first time at the Smash Mansion.

As the third Smasher to be named, he knew that he would probably not be very well known. In fact, he didn't understand how he, out of all the other Pikachu in the Pokemon world, was chosen for his position as a Smasher. On that first day, he had met Mario and Link. His circle of friends soon grew to include Kirby and Samus.

His heart ached horribly at the memories of days long past. Pikana's cackles broke through his train of thought, snapping him back down to earth. She had won another chess game. Desperation grasped at the pokemon's heart with a cold, uncaring hand as he lifted his eyes upwards to the heavens and whispered a prayer, gone unnoticed by the girl who was celebrating her current victory.

"_Oh Arceus, help us…"_

**

He was still trying his hardest to cry. But not a single tear fell as he continued soaring over vast blue seas. He couldn't help but lament over how cruel fate could be, making him a spirit that could not cry. His island was destroyed, all his friends killed. And yet he could not show his respects, he could not mourn them as a member of his species should mourn.

With a sudden lurch, the wind on which he was traveling shot him downwards, sending him careening over to yet another island in the middle of the sea. this island was untouched by the tainted forces of Subspace, its beauty still preserved by its inhabitants. Coconuts trees blossomed with life, flowers dotted the landscape. It was a truly beautiful sight to see and yet it also saddened his heart of how his beloved island had long ago been purged by the evils of Subspace.

He accelerated now, shooting down like a bullet. A lime green streak was all that could be seen of him as he fell faster and faster, bypassing clouds and tree branches at lightning speed. His heart raced as he cried out in fear, closing his eyes for impact. But it never came.

Opening his eyes, the Smasher looked about and realized that he was hovering a bit off the ground. Nearby stood a tall girl with long brown hair holding a basket of fruit. She was swathed in a stunning pure white robe; a wreath of flowers adorned her hair. As her locks blew in the wind, the Smasher could see its maroon tips shining in the fading sunlight. Her beautifully tanned skin sparkled slightly in the golden light, bathing her in a lovely glow. Her wide brown eyes only completed this look as she went from tree to tree, gathering fruits for her basket.

Pineapples and mangos seemed to sail through the air and into her basket as the Smasher looked on. Although he was unable to smell the precious fruit, he knew them to be delicious. He knew that if he had a mouth, it would be watering at this very instant, possibly even enough to drown the girl. It had been a hundred years since he last eaten fruit and he knew that if he could eat an entire buffet a hundred years ago, he could probably eat the entire world if he had to.

By natural instinct, he shot out his long red tongue, grabbing desperately for the fruit. Being made of nothing more than mere smoke, the moist red thing simply passed through the fruit as if it were made of air. After reeling in his tongue he tried again, this time striking the girl in the head. A great sucking noise could be heard as his tongue was yanked, pulling him into the head of the girl he had just touched and throwing him deep within the bowels of her very mind.

A cry of surprise escaped him as soon as he entered. The girl's mind was beautiful, full of lush green fields and flowers and simply blooming with life. This told him that she loved nature and enjoyed her quiet life. But there was a darkened corner of this great beauteous land, a corner where screams and pain simply radiated from it. Though it was tiny, the mere aura of it being there sent shivers down his spine. She had had a rough past and hoped to forget about it. For a few moments, the Smasher simply stood there, wondering what he should say. Then, he plucked up his courage and found his voice.

"_Um… Hi! My name's Yoshi!"_

He sensed the girl give a start of surprise at the sound of his voice. He sensed even more movement as she moved her head from side to side, her eyes scanning the area for the source of the noise. He tried again, choosing his words as carefully as possible.

"_Well… you won't really find me out there… I'm inside your head, you see and-"_

"H-How…" she stammered, "H-How did you find me? I thought I was safe… I thought… I thought…"

A surge of guilt swept through Yoshi at the girl's distress. _"It's alright. I don't know what Tabuu did while I was gone, but I'm back now and no matter what, I'll never let you get hurt…"_

The girl was still uneasy with his presence, he knew. But despite this he could sense the tiniest spark of trust well up in her at the sound of his voice. Yoshi allowed her to gather her thoughts, watching them as they floated by before speaking again.

"_I know it's been about a hundred years since Tabuu took over. I don't know what he's done since then, but I'm pretty sure that it was pretty bad, wasn't it?"_

"Yes, it was…" the girl answered, nodding as she did so, "He enslaved all the humans and even brainwashed a few to become his 'bounty hunters'. The bounty hunters were treated alright, but the slaves were treated horribly. If we messed something up just a little bit, we'd get whipped about a thousand times over… a lot of us get killed for even the smallest mistake, but that's actually a relief compared to an awful lot of other things they can do to us. Some of us have tried to escape, but all in vain… until this girl left…"

At her words, interest flared up in Yoshi's mind. _"So… the slaves were treated pretty badly you say?"_

The girl nodded. "That's right. We worked long hours and were barely fed or clothed. Most of the work was life threatening and it really didn't help with the Smashers whipping you every ten seconds…"

Yoshi could barely keep down his excitement. _"So… would they be willing to rebel and fight against Tabuu once they find out that the Smashers aren't as they seem to be?"_

His guardian shook her head, sending her long brown curls flying. "I'm afraid not. Even though it's true that they hate Tabuu, they're too afraid to take any action…"

Yoshi's excitement faded, deflating like a balloon. _"Oh…"_

Hoisting the basket up her shoulder, the girl turned and began walking towards a village in the distance. "I haven't introduced myself yet. My name's Mah. I came to this island after escaping on a boat."

At the mention of the island, the cold hand came back and once again gripped Yoshi's heart. He felt his very form tremble with grief at the memory of the horrible state of his former home, all ruined and burned. His voice trembling, he summoned his voice once more.

"_Hey… do you mind if I… take control of your body for just a little bit?"_

Mah raised an eyebrow at this strange request, but after catching the heavy amount of mourning in his voice, nodded her consent. "Go ahead…"

Yoshi closed his eyes and concentrated hard, imagining his spiritual form filling every part of the girl's body. He saw every inch of it inside and out. He felt himself slowly expanding, his very form changing shape and morphing. He stretched out like a rubber band, slowly filling what seemed like gaping slots beneath him. It was a painful feeling as well as a wonderful sensation. He felt his every muscle stretch to their limit and even beyond that, almost screaming as he was blinded by the pain that came with it. He wanted to scream, to simply end his life right then and there as the pain grew and yet the sensation grew as well. It was a warm feeling that enveloped him, keeping him sane of mind though he was most likely not sane of body. The pain rose to breaking point, blinding him and deafening him to all but his horrible aches.

_Make it stop, _he thought_, Please, just make it stop!_

Suddenly, his prayer was answered. The pain of stretching went away. A breeze tickled his face. Yoshi slowly opened his eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. He twitched his right hand, relishing how he could feel it move. A sudden curtain of dark brown billowed before him, shielding his eyes. Reaching up, he pushed the curtain of brown hair away, feeling the soft, smooth feel of the locks between his fingers.

Once he did that, Yoshi carefully placed his hands together, feeling the tanned skin. It felt unfamiliar and familiar all at once. He was aware that these were not his hands, yet his hands at the same time. Reaching into the basket that hung off his arm, he took a great big bite of juicy mango, allowing the juice to run off his chin.

Something small and wet slid down his cheek as this happened. He managed to catch a tiny bit of it on his tongue. Salty…

Another small bead of wetness slid down his cheek, followed by another and another. He soon became aware that this strange salt water fell from the corners of his eyes, sliding down his cheeks and onto the ground. He was crying. Oh, how wonderful it felt to cry!

**

A great stab of pain shot through him as he grasped his newly finished grappling hook, reveling slightly in how he was able to bear the pain of the barbed wires in making it. Deep within the corners of his mind, he felt Samus swell slightly with pride as well as they both gazed at his handiwork. Though roughly made, the grappling hook was of simple structure, built to last at least a month.

Golfer grinned as he carefully turned the grappling hook in his right hand, trying to ignore the blood wounds he had received in making it. "Not bad, huh?"

Within his mind, Samus laughed. _"I guess so! You're actually not that bad for a rookie…now let's put this old thing to use. We have to get that girl out and fast!"_

Golfer looked up, measuring the distance from the ground to the nearest window. "Well… it's about 50 feet up…"

"_And…?"_

"And if I fall, I die…?"

"_Oh well! Sometimes, you need to take some risks in life…"_

"Easy for you to say…" he mumbled irritably, swinging his homemade grappling hook over his head like a lasso.

After a few spins he released it, satisfied when it hit its mark. Taking care not to put too much weight on it, he began to climb, using his one good arm. In any normal circumstance, the hook would've snapped immediately, sending the boy plummeting to the ground. But under Samus's careful instruction, he had reinforced this grappling hook so that it was about ten times as powerful as a normal one. Unfortunately, it was also ten times as painful to climb. The barbed part of the wires stabbed him wherever possible and as if that wasn't enough, he often hit his broken arm on something, sending a great rush of pain through his body as he continued to climb.

"_Whatever you do, just don't look down,"_ Samus instructed, unable to keep her voice from shaking slightly out of fear.

Despite her protests, Golfer looked down. Almost immediately, the colors swam before his eyes. He was probably about 40 feet high right now. His entire body trembled as he gazed down at the ground, a stab of fear entering his being. Samus sensed the fear and though she tried her best to help him beat it back down, it only increased as he continued to simply hang there, his body frozen in fear.

"_Golfer! Snap out of it and climb!"_ she yelled, feeling his fingers beginning to slip.

Her guardian did not hear her as he simply hung there in a terror filled daze. With a small cry of anguish Samus concentrated with all her might and found herself in his body, hanging onto the grappling hook for dear life. She had no fear of heights, being on many missions where she had to climb even greater heights than this. Though the body was rather out of shape and unfamiliar to her, she managed to scramble up the makeshift hook and kick open a window.

"Not too bad…" she murmured, her voice coming out of his mouth, "But he's pretty out of shape…"

"_I heard that!"_ Golfer's voice shouted in her head.

Samus rolled her eyes. "Well, you are! Don't deny that!"

With Golfer mumbling incoherently in her mind, she looked both ways and started down the rightmost corridor.

**

He was sleeping when the change began. It started off as a mere tingle at first, but it soon transformed into a full fledged quake. Pikachu shot awake at the movement as he felt Pikana's body tremble and quake. The young girl herself was wild with fear and surprise as she watched as her body glowed with a brilliant white light.

"W-What h-h-happening t-to m-me?" she asked, gazing open mouthed at her trembling hand.

"_I don't know!"_ Pikachu answered, concern for his guardian washing over him, _"Just hold on!"_

Pikana shook even more at his words, tremors running through her body like there was no tomorrow. She was a living earthquake, a ghastly reminder of the horrid earthquake that had long ago shaken the city of Smashville. She screamed a truly horrible scream as every cell in her body was revitalized and born anew. There was a great flash of light.

And she opened her eyes. Pikachu did as well, noticing that the trembling had stopped. Through her eyes he saw her gazing at a pair of tiny yellow paws that were so much like his own. A heart shaped tail soon came into view along with a wisp of frizzy blonde hair. Her clothes were changed as well, as she was now wearing a black doll's hoodie and a mini skirt with sneakers. Her chain, now useless in holding her captive was at her feet. She was breathing heavily.

"I-I've changed…" she stammered.

Pikachu was stunned. _"Arceus heard me after all… he's blessed you…"_

He felt a wild grin appear on Pikana's face as she registered this information. "Hm… so Arceus likes me, eh? I wonder…"

Before he could even look through her thoughts to see what she was wondering, Pikachu felt her hand dive into the pocket of her hoodie. Her paw wrapped around a strange and rather cold tube hidden deep within. Pulling it out, it grew in size right before their very eyes until it was huge, the exact size of an extremely well known and coveted weapon in Smashville.

"_A bazooka!?"_ Pikachu asked in disbelief.

Pikana's gin widened. "A bazooka!!!"

Before Pikachu could say anything else, she had fired the weapon, creating a gaping hole out in the hallway. The Primids on the other side had no time to recover from their surprise as ten more bazooka blasts got them, sending the Shadow Bugs they were made from everywhere. Pikana let loose another cackle as she swung her bazooka around like a baseball bat, knocking over the many Primids that had come running at the sudden explosion.

"EAT MAH BAZOOKIE, BITCHUZ!!!" she crowed as she blasted it again and again.

Despite his fear and surprise, Pikachu felt a strange affection for the wild and crazy girl. _"Pikana, you're one nutty guardian… but then again, you're my nutty guardian…"_

**

"I really hope we can rebuild your island once this is all over," Mah said as she walked towards the village.

It had been not long ago that Yoshi allowed her full possession of her body again, though she felt really bad for the little green dinosaur. As he sobbed on and on using her body she had seen the memories of the island he once lived on and how it looked to this day. Those images alone were enough to make her cry as she saw the now desolate island that the little dinosaur had been born and raised on.

"_Thanks Mah,"_ Yoshi said, sniffling a little, _"Thanks…"_

Before Mah could answer, a scream cut her off. Dropping her basket on the ground, she ran towards the direction to the village, her eyes widening in fear. Her bare feet kicked up great clouds of dust as she ran, the dirt filling her nose and causing her eyes to water. But still she ran on and when she reached the town square she could not believe her eyes.

There were Shadow Bugs everywhere. The came from corners and alleys, gathering together in the very center of town. Slowly, ever so slowly, they began to form a shape. This shape elongated and twisted every which way until a head and eyes took shape. A tail did as well, plus long black fangs. The gigantic snake whirled on the villagers, letting out a mighty hiss as they fled with their belongings.

"Oh… my… God…" Mah gasped as she stared at the great reptile.

Yoshi felt himself tremble in fear at the sight of the serpent, but he wanted to be brave. _"Don't let it scare you, Mah!"_

Despite the wave of assurance she felt as his words, Mah could not keep her voice from trembling. "I-I won't!"

The serpent turned at the sound of her voice, its forked tongue coming out between its teeth. At the sight of the young girl, the snake leaned in closer so as to stare into her eyes. Unexpectedly, she did not run away, but that did not matter to the snake. All that mattered was the golden spark that danced within her eyes…

Uttering a bone chilling hiss, the serpent reared back its head and prepared to strike. Its fangs flashed through the air as they intended to impale the girl right on the spot. Quick as lighting they descended upon her, only to be met with pavement as she leaped out of the way.

Landing on the rooftop, Mah felt her heart hammer in fear as she realized just how high she jumped. "What the…?"

"_My jumping ability!" _Yoshi explained, _"You can use my powers! Try… try laying some eggs!"_

"You've got to be kidding me!" Mah shouted as she jumped out of the reach of the snake's fangs.

"_Just try it, please!"_

Despite her doubts, Mah placed her hands together and concentrated. The effect was immediate. She found herself holding a single large egg about the size of a watermelon. It was white with green dots and as she threw it at the snake, it exploded on contact. The monster was slightly dazed for a moment, but came in to strike again. This time, she met it with two more eggs, sending it reeling ever so slightly.

With a sudden flick of its tail, the snake tripped Mah right off her feet and trapped her in its coil. It wound its great body around her twice, squeezing the life out of her with every breath she drew. Black dots swam around her as she slowly felt herself fade away. The sudden cutoff of oxygen to her brain was bad enough, but the thick darkness that now surrounded her was all too much. Was this death? She couldn't muster the energy for one more attack, one last attempt to save the village that had been so kind to her when she was shipwrecked…

"_No!"_

With a sudden great burst of air, Yoshi took over, pumping adrenaline into her veins. Taking as deep a breath as he could manage, Yoshi focused every piece of energy they had left between them and blew. A flaming ball of fire shot out of his mouth, her mouth, as this happened. Another great ball of fire followed that, then another, then another. The Yoshi Dragon had been unleashed!

The serpent was unprepared for this horrible fire, causing it to reel uncertainly. As fireball after fireball hit it, its scale soon caught on fire, as did the rest of its body. Slowly, the serpent began to melt into a puddle of nothingness, a horrid smell being all that was left of it.

Mah regained control of her body, feeling as if she had just run a thousand miles non stop. She dropped to her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably. How horrible it felt to be locked in the clutches of a serpent, to face death and escape its cold clutches. What would happen the next time? Would she live to tell the tale? Those questions she could not answer.

"_Are you alright?"_ Yoshi asked, _"I know I used up an awful lot of your energy back there…"_

Mah was too tired to speak, only nodding ever so slightly in answer to the dinosaur's question. Yoshi allowed her to catch her breath, but before he could ask anything else, she had collapsed. The dinosaur watched in slight dismay as her eyelids closed on her and she descended into the welcoming embrace of darkness. A horrible feeling of guilt gnawed at him as he felt her consciousness slowly slip away.

"_Please let her be alright…"_

**

"_Boss! Hey Boss!" the violet haired girl crowed as she ran into his tent._

_He looked up from his traveling bag just in time to see her enter, her red Trueblade's outfit swaying slightly in the breeze. Her clear, heart shaped face bore the look of innocence as she stepped in confidently, her words full of life and laughter. In spite of himself, he allowed a grin to appear on his face as she approached. He noted how warm his cheeks became as the beautiful girl neared, her deep blue eyes trained on his._

"_Mia," he breathed, inhaling her intoxicating scent, "What brings you here…?"_

_If Mia had noticed how distracted and dream- like his voice sounded, she gave no hint of noticing it. "Boss, are the rumors true? You're really leavin'?"_

_He grinned and shook his head. "Well… sorta. See, I was invited to be in this tournament and well… basically, I'll be there for a year, but I'll be allowed to visit during Christmas and the summer…"_

_Mia's lively face fell at his words, her dazzling smile melting into a disappointed frown. "Oh… but… it won't be the same around here without you, Boss… there won't be anyone good enough for me to spar with…"_

_His heart began hammering as he reached out and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Mia, you're a wonderful fighter…I'm positive that there are other swordsmen around here that are just itching to take up their sword again you…"_

_Mia shook her head vigorously. "It's not just that, Boss! It's just that you're leaving just like that! You leave Titania in charge of the mercenary troupe and then just pack up and leave! Not even a proper goodbye! I'll miss you…"_

_He sensed the tears coming, a lump forming in his throat. "Mia… I…"_

_He was cut off by her sob. "It'll never be the same without you! You're more than a boss to all of us! Mist and Boyd and Oscar… they'll all miss you! Rolf just became a Marksman! Titania's going to miss you! I'm going to miss you!"_

"_Mia!" he cried, unable to hide the alarm in his voice, "Mia, what do you mean?"_

"_Oh, you're so stupid, Boss!" she screamed, "Don't you see?"_

_His bottom lip trembled. "N-No… I don't, but…"_

"_I love you!" she screamed, "I love you more than Yune loves us! I've always loved you, ever since I've joined the mercenary troupe! Ashera dammit, Boss, I LOVE YOU!!!"_

_He was stunned, his heart racing even more so. She loved him? She had always loved him? His head spun, confusing him. Only one thing in the world made sense to him now and it was that here she was, probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and here he was, listening to her as she proclaimed her love to him. In his daze, he reached out his other hand and grasped both her shoulders, drawing her close. His dark blue eyes met hers and he found himself getting lost within them and not wishing to be found._

"_Mia… Mia, I l-"_

"_Commander!!!" Titania yelled, "Look out!!!"_

_The effect was immediate. Mia's eyes widened in horror as she used all her strength to push him out of the way. He hit the ground hard, scraping his arm. But the pain was nothing compared to what was happening at that moment. _

_A great blast of fire appeared from nowhere, striking the young swordswoman who had pushed him. She had no time to escape its wrath as her entire body was engulfed in the horrible flames. A scream escaped her, high pitched and blood curdling. With a cry of horror, he stood up and rushed towards the pillar of fire, grabbing at her arm and pulling her out._

_Mia's body was still alight by the time he finally freed her, her very flesh burning off in chunks. Her hair, her face, everything was on fire. As he tried to smother the flames, he only succeeded in spreading them as her scream of pain only grew louder. The stench of burning flesh was overwhelming now, causing him to have to hold his breath as he worked. _

"_Mia!" he gasped, "Mia, please! Hold on! Mia, don't die! Please, stay alive! Stay alive for me!"_

_Mia's burning eyes welled up in tears at his words, her screaming subsiding as the flames spread all over her body, transforming her into a walking pillar of fire. "Boss… just remember that… I love you…"_

"_Mia! Mia!!! MIAAAAAAA!!!!!!"_

"Mia?"

His eyes snapped open, thrusting him from a mercenary fort into a darkened room. To his left Wolf's grey cloud watched him with interested eyes. For a few moments, he wondered what was going on, why Mia was no longer with him. Then, it hit him. He was a cloud of crimson gas now. Mia was gone. The mercenaries were who knows where. He was alone.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Looking up, the Smasher took a deep breath as the lightning seemed to spell his own name in the sky. It was then that he knew what would happen next, even before the lightning came down and struck his jar, sending the lid flying. As he was lifted up and out into the night sky, he could not help but summon the face of the beautiful woman he loved out from his memories and into his mind.

"Mia…" he whispered, "Mia, Mia…"

He was soaring overseas now, watching as his crimson streak painted the night sky.

"I'm sorry…"


	6. Cameron

Cameron, Masterful Mercenary

**Another exciting chapter of Guardians Arise is here! Who is the new guardian? What plot twists do I have planned for you guys now? When is Chainy the Chainsaw going to make an appearance? Why does Golfer smell so bad!?!?!**

**All, or most, shall be answered… right after the stupid disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the blah, blah, blah, and if I did I would yadda, yadda, yadda.**

**Warning: A few spoilers for Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn and Sacred Stones are in this chapter. If you have never played a Fire Emblem game before, go get one 'cause the series is so effin' awesome! For those who do not understand the Fire Emblem terms, consult the Author's note at the end of the chapter.**

His footsteps echoed in the dimly lit hallways as he continued his patrol, his great red eyes unblinkingly scanning the area around him. A gargling sound escaped his throat every now and then, a sound that was filled with a slight resentment for his tedious task. As a patrol Primid he was charged with the protection of the hallways, along with a great many others. He felt useless with this task, knowing that he was capable of so much more.

A faint beeping interrupted his thoughts. Cocking his plasma gun, the Primid inched towards the noise of the beeping, its breath coming out in short pants. The beeping grew louder as he approached, its source indicated by a strange blinking red light. He leaned in close to this strange device, shaped like a sphere with a blinking red light at the very top of it. Before his very eyes the light blinked faster and faster, the beeping increasing in tempo as well. He realized much too late what he was staring at.

_BOOOOM!!!_ The primed slammed against the wall, his entire body writhing. Every Shadow Bug that made up this creature of Subspace buckled under the intense heat that came from the little device. Every single bug was on fire as the Primid gargled in agony, watching in horror as its body burst into flames.

Golfer stepped out of the shadows, a smirk etched all over his face. "How'd you like that?"

"_Not bad,"_ Samus said, _"But we could've found a more… cleaner way to get around him…"_

The boy rolled his eyes. "True, but where's the fun in that?"

Samus said nothing, merely rolling her eyes in her guardian's mind at his rather scattered logic. Her sharp eyes scanned the hallway once before she instructed Golfer to head right, towards their destination. For a brief moment, she felt the power surge to even greater heights, but the surge soon died down. Though she wondered a bit about this, she pushed those thoughts aside and concentrated on sensing for the source of raw power that was somewhere within the building.

**

"HEY BOB!!! I HOPE YOU'RE WATCHIN'!!! 'CAUSE THIS CHU IS SHOWING YOU WHAT A CHU CAN DO!!!"

Pikachu couldn't help but smile as his guardian continued to plough her way through the Primids, swinging her new weapon to and fro like a club. When the Primids tried forming a wall to block her, a mere blast of Bazookie, as she had dubbed her weapon, was enough to send them scattering. Shadow Bugs flew everywhere as Pikana continued to hack her way through. Primid after Primid came to tackle her, only to be thrown back by the sheer force of the heavy weapon.

But though she seemed as energetic as ever, Pikachu could not help but feel a sudden surge of concern for his guardian as he noticed how her blows became heavier, her swing more wild and frantic. Her chest heaved in and out as she continued running, her strong legs shaking slightly with effort.

"_Pikana… maybe I should take over…"_ he said uncertainly, watching with widened eyes at the great crowd of Primids that they still needed to pass.

"N-No…" Pikana panted, heavily swinging Bazookie at a few Primids as they rushed at her, "I-I can handle it…"

She lurched again as Bazookie reached out and took care of a few Primids. But even more were closing in, their great red eyes glowing menacingly. Despite her body's exhaustion, she still fought on. Pikachu felt the tremors in her body as she used every last ounce of her strength to send the Primids flying back. It was with a stab of fear in his heart that he soon saw Pikana surrounded by the horrid creatures of Subspace. Sweat poured from every possible part of her body as her watery knees soon collapsed, her breathing heavy and ragged.

"_Pikana!"_ Pikachu shouted, _"Pikana, please get up!"_

The Primids were closing in, red eyes alight with excitement and triumph. Pikana was unaware of the situation as she swung Bazookie heavily, trying to catch a few off guard. They were close now, so close that both the Pokemon and his guardian could smell their horrid stench, the smell of Subspace itself.

"_Pikana, hold on!"_

"I-I'm trying…" she said weakly, her bazooka dropping to the floor, "I'm trying…"

It amazed the Pokemon how a girl once so full of energy could lose it so quickly. He was now fully aware of just how much a young human could exhaust themselves if their energy was wasted in the beginning. He would have to come up with a plan for Pikana's attacks that would be effective, yet energy conservative at the same time. That is, if they made it out…

Suddenly, one Primid chose that moment to jump, landing right on top of her. Another followed it, then another then another. It was as if the entire army of Primids were now piling up on Pikana, gurgling their triumph. The thunder mistress was slammed down to the ground, her bazooka skittering away out of her reach. The combined weight of so many bodies upon her was too much for her. Pikachu did everything he could to hold on to her consciousness, but it still slowly slipped through his little fingers.

"_It can't end like this!"_ he cried desperately, _"It can't! It just can't!"_

He concentrated with every fiber of his body as he soon felt himself melting away from the great void of scattered thoughts that was Pikana's mind. He soon found himself to be stretched to his limits, great pains shooting from every part of his body. Just as suddenly, it stopped.

He felt the weight of the Primids upon him, smelled the stench of Subspace. He felt the air being pushed from his lungs as he continued to lie under the ten tons of Primids. He knew there was only one hope left for him as he saw black dots in front of his eyes. Summoning all that was left of his energy, he tapped into the great power stored in Pikana's red circular cheeks…

"CHUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!"

**

Psyche's eyes widened in amazement as she looked up into the sky. A crack of thunder could be heard as a great pillar of lightning suddenly blasted out of somewhere far away. Even though she was quite far from the source, she could still feel the heat and power of the lightning as she stood there in a daze, staring into the dangerous, yet beautiful tower of light.

Pit noticed the lightning as well and he could not help but utter the only name that came to his mind. _"Pikachu…"_

It was a truly amazing sight indeed, but all too soon it disappeared. Pit was still slightly dazed at the sight of the powerful pillar of lightning that he forgot to yell at his guardian for dropping the firewood she carried on the wet ground. His thoughts raced, popping up questions that he _knew_ had to be answered right where that source of power came from.

"I'm pretty sure Pikachu doesn't have his body by now," Psyche told him, rolling her eyes.

Pit snapped back down to earth. _"Hey! Who said that you're allowed to listen in on my thoughts?"_

"We share the same brain," she said slowly, as if she were talking to a five year old, "I can hear what you're thinking."

"_Either way, how do we know that? There's only one being in this world that can produce electricity like that and that's Pikachu!"_

"Yeah, but let's not forget that Pikachu also got his body possessed way back when so… no. Not likely."

"_Are you deaf?"_ Pit snapped, _"Didn't you hear his battle cry"_

Psyche raised an eyebrow. "His… battle cry?"

"_When he says, 'CHUUUUU!', that's his battle cry. You said that the possessed Smashers were pretty silent as far as their voices go, except for the occasional yell, grunt, or sneeze. Unless, of course, you got your information wrong again…"_

"Or maybe you should just go clean out that earwax in your ears and try listening again!" Psyche retorted, "'Cause I didn't hear a single 'CHUUUUUU!' anywhere!"

Pit's intense dislike for the girl only grew at her words. _"Well then, maybe I should just find myself a new guardian and leave you here to rot in these stupid words!"_

"Fine by me!"

"_Fine!"_

"Fine!!"

"_Fine!!!"_

"FINE!!!!!"

"_Shut up! You'll give away our position!"_

Psyche's eyes narrowed. "Oh, and it's perfectly alright for _you_ to go shouting around my head and give me a headache like that?"

Pit let out a rather cruel sounding chuckle. _"Well duh! I'm in your head, remember?"_

While his guardian's scowl deepened, Pit looked up towards where the lightning had come from. Way off in the distance he was able to make out a dark, forbidding shape. Squinting a little, he was able to make out a great barbed wire fence and even a few windows. It was a strange sight, this dark shape, as it seemed to draw things closer to it. The more Pit stared at it, the more powerful its pull on him. He was tempted right at that moment to leave the body of his guardian and simply float over to that building as a cloud of golden gas.

"Do you feel it too?" Psyche asked, snapping his train of thought, "That weird pull that place has on us?"

Pit nodded, though he knew she would not see. _"We should get going…"_

With that, Psyche slowly approached the dark shape in the distance, her nervousness and tension rising. The temperature in the air itself seemed to drop ten degrees as she approached, sending shivers down her spine. It was time that she entered the great unknown.

**

He had dreamed it again. The death of Mia was etched vividly in his mind. Ike was never the sort of person to cry, but he had wanted to every single time he had that horrible nightmare, a reminder of his most fatal failure in life. He had failed to protect one of the most loyal members of his mercenary troupe. And for that, he had to pay the price.

"Mia," he sighed, "Mia, I'm sorry… I failed you…"

He soon found himself quickly approaching a lone cave off in the distance. It was with a sudden stab of pain in his heart that he recognize the etching of a single symbol above the mouth of the cave. It was the symbol of a sword encased in a great circle, the symbol of the world of Fire Emblem. And even then he knew that the cave would branch off into a great many other worlds in the Fire Emblem world from the vast continent of Magvel to the small country known as Tellius. And it was down the Path of Tellius Ike flew.

A great flash of light met the former mercenary as he entered his home world, cruelly reminding him that he lacked hands with which to shield himself. It was here that the wind picked up and bore him across great mountain ranges, over great lakes and rolling hills. But the scenery was burned and desolate, as if the people of Tellius had abandoned their duties as farmers.

The land itself was blackened with soot, as if recently burned to ash. Though he flew over the great continents of Goldoa and Gallia, he did not see a single laguz. Even worse was the great lack of beorc that ruled the countries of Daein, Benigon, and Crimea. No longer were there Pegasus Knights and Dragon Riders ruling the skies, no more Swordmasters and Halbierders littered the ground. Tellius had become a vast ghost town, a wasteland.

As he parted a few clouds he saw a great shape in the distance that made his heart leap. It was his old home, the fort of the Greil Mercenaries. Though unclean and rather sad looking, he could very clearly see a golden light shining through one of the windows. Ike let out a cry of joy as he raced into the window and into his home, his mind filling with the wonderful memories he held dear.

"Titania, Oscar, Gatrie," he whispered, closing his eyes happily, "Mist, Boyd, Rolf, Shinon, Rhys, Soren…"

Then, he slowly opened his eyes, hoping to gaze upon the familiar and beloved faces of the mercenary troupe he had come to call his family. Alas, it was all in vain. Rather than seeing his beloved troupe seated round the fireplace as it usually did on cold winter nights, he saw only one person in the room.

He sat upon a tall oaken chair, identical to the one Ike would sit in when he would await audiences with potential clients.

He sat straight backed and proud, a mop of messy brown hair atop his head. Topping his hair were a pair of goggles, a crimson red scarf wrapped securely round his neck. He wore simple leather armor, nothing more as Ike could tell even through the armor the lean muscles along his arms. His face was hidden in the deepest shadows and though Ike squinted as hard as he could, he could not make out a single detail of the young man's face.

Footsteps echoed not far away. Abruptly the young man on the throne sat up, his unseen face turned in the direction of the noise. The gilded oak doors opened with a great _creek!_ and a single figure stepped into the room, a cape swinging slightly in the breeze. Ike gasped as the figure stepped into the light. Roy of Phrae's face was revealed, his once stunning blue eyes now a deep, horrid yellow. He held in his hands a long box, which he set before the man on the throne, along with a single piece of parchment.

With a quick swipe of his arm, the young man grabbed the paper and began to read, occasionally murmuring words out loud. Ike was able to catch words such as "Tabuu", "Find", "Kill", and "Payment". Hhis face still hidden, the boy looked up, his face still hidden in the shadows.

"Show it to me," he commanded, his voice low and gruff.

A scowl crossed Roy's face as he was forced to bend down and open up the box, revealing the contents hidden within. The air itself seemed to get sucked out of the room as the box was opened. A gasp escaped the one whose face was never seen as he then snatched at the precious item, holding it up to the light. Ike could very clearly see that this was a sword, a Rapier, in fact. He had heard many stories of great heroes and heroines who won great battles against foes ten times their size with only that small, thin sword. The most famous, in fact, was Princess Eirika of Renais from the continent of Magvel. Ike's eyes widened in surprise as an engraving was revealed in the dying fire light: "Sigmund".

"Ashunera…" the young man said in awe, "This is… this is the Sacred Twin Blade… the Rapier Sigmund…"

With a sudden sharp movement he swung the blade in an arc through the air, bringing it whistling down with great speed and strength. Even Ike, one of the greatest swordsmen of his time, was greatly impressed by the skill of this young man. All too soon Sigmund was placed back in its box as the young man began to speak again.

"Nice weight and power, but no thanks," he told Roy, "I'm afraid that going out all over the world just to hunt one human down is not right. And the order to torture her until she cries out in pain and then to give her a nice, painful death? Sorry, but that's not what mercenaries are meant for…"

Roy reacted swiftly. Drawing the Sword of Seals, he lunged for the young man, catching him off guard. With almost no time to react, he held up his arm to block the attack, but managed to get a horribly deep cut in his arm in the process. Warm crimson blood sprinkled the packed dirt floor as the great oak chair was tipped over and the mercenary staggered to his feet, clutching his bleeding arm. Roy swung again, this time aiming for his head. He sidestepped this easily, but was caught extremely unprepared for the crippling blow to his forehead with the flat of Roy's blade. His knees collapsed from underneath him, his breathing slowly to mere shallow puffs.

Ike knew there was no time to lose. He dove right into the young man's ear, bypassing all his currently scattered thoughts until he reached the very core of his mind. Ike took a deep breath and concentrated, allowing himself to melt into his new guardian's body. After a brief moment of naught but pure pain, he opened his eyes just in time to roll out of the way of Roy's powerful sword. The Sword of Seals flashed white hot in the light as it came crashing down once again, this time in a downward stab aimed at his heart.

Ike dodged just in time, doing a swift leg sweep in the process to knock the Prince of Phrae right off his feet. It gave him just enough time to grab at the box that held the very weapon that could possibly save his life.

Roy's footsteps approached him as he fiddled with the clasp on the box. He heard the whistling of the sword through the air as Roy brought it down to kill him. Using all the strength he had left, Ike wrenched Sigmund the Rapier out of its case and brought it up to meet the blade of the Sword of Seals.

Adrenaline pumped through the mercenary's veins as he pushed the red haired swordsman back against the wall. Roy was slightly dazed from the force of the impact when Sigmund came at him again. Ike felt how light the blade was, how different it had been from Ragnell. But none of this mattered to him as he pushed the lightweight sword through a gap in his opponent's ribs and out through his back.

Blood spattered the floor as Roy let out a cry of pain, sending shivers down Ike's spine. The mercenary could feel his own energy draining from him as his old friend laid on the floor, badly beaten and almost bleeding to death. Then, before his very eyes, a great light appeared, surrounding his fellow Fire Emblem swordsman. Brighter and brighter this light grew until the eyes of Ike's guardian could no longer bear it. Shielding his eyes with one arm, he looked on in terror as the body of his long time friend disappeared.

"_Who are you?"_ the gruff voice of the body's true owner demanded in his head, _"I demand to know why you're here!"_

Ike breathed a sigh of relief. "My name… my name is Ike…"

"_Ike?"_ the voice asked in disbelief, _"Your name is Ike?"_

Ike nodded. "Yes… I am Ike, Commander of the Greil mercenaries."

The voice in his head let out a snort. _"Yeah right! The Greil mercenaries are gone, pal! They've been gone for years! There's no way you'd be the leader of them, of all people!"_

"But I _am_ Ike," he argued, "What will I need to do to prove it to you?"

For a few moments, the voice remained silent. Ike searched through his thoughts, trying to find the idea for the test he was about to receive. He hit on it at the exact same moment the voice said it out loud.

"_There is a great sword in the cabinet over there, Ettard. Out of all the beorc in history, only Ike has been able to wield it. If you're truly Ike, you should be able to wield Ettard."_

Ike replaced the Rapier back into its box and walked over towards a cabinet not far away. With a sweep of his arm he opened the cabinet, gazing upon the great sword that was hidden behind it. The sword had always reminded him of Ragnell, only blue in color. It was a great two handed blade, but even for the strongest swordsman it would have to be carried with the strength of ten men. Alone of all its beorc owners was Ike able to wield it and he did so now, grasping the handle of the blade and feeling its immense power course through his veins. The voice gasped in surprise as he felt the body he had inhabited since the day he was born wield the powerful sword. Many times had he tried to even touch this sword to no prevail. And yet when this outside force had taken control of his body, he was now able to lift the blade as if it were a feather.

"_You really are Ike…"_ he said in awe, _"I-I'm honoured…"_

"Now tell me," Ike said, placing Ettard back on the shelf, "Where are the others?"

"_I can show you,"_ he answered, _"I'll take you to them…"_

Ike nodded. "Alright. I'll let you regain control of your body."

"_The name's Cameron, by the way,"_ Cameron said quickly and earnestly, _"Cameron, one of the best mercenaries on all of Tellius… at least, that's what they say…"_

"They?" Ike questioned.

"_The people who hire me," _Cameron answered, _"The Senators of Benigon… they hire me to… well…"_

"To rid Tellius of the Laguz?" Ike asked, a note of disgust rising in his voice, "To root out and destroy every last one of these 'sub- humans'?"

Cameron gulped. _"Y-Yes sir…"_

Ike scowled. "We'll deal with that later… for now, I want to see my family again…"

With that, he closed his eyes and concentrated, tears stinging his eyes as he felt his spirit melt away from the body and slowly float into the mind of his guardian.

**

"_Mah… Mah, are you awake?"_

The young woman stirred slightly and opened her eyes, being immediately blinded by the sun. Salty sea air came to meet her as she sat up and stretched, looking around her. Then, she gasped.

All around her was sea, sparkling blue sea. She sat upon a roughly made wooden raft, a small crate of food at her side. Far off in the distance, she saw the island she had come to take shelter in, her fear growing with every second as she drifted away from it.

"What's going on?" she asked frantically, trying to paddle back to the shore, "Yoshi, what happened? How long have I been out? Why are we on this raft?"

Yoshi sighed, his voice choked with tears. _"I'm so sorry Mah… it's my fault we got kicked off the island…"_

"Kicked off?" Mah asked alarmingly, "How did we get kicked off?"

Yoshi let out a low sob as he began the story. _"Not long after you fainted, the people slowly came back. Apparently, they had seen you beat that snake with what they thought was witchcraft. A lot of them were really afraid of you, Mah… they were scared that that snake was your doing, that you summonsed it. You were still out cold, so I took over your body and tried to reason with them, but they wouldn't listen. It was as if they completely forgot the fact that you just saved the entire town! It wasn't long before they started attacking me and such, so I had to run. Master Hand told me a long time ago that if I used too much of your energy you could get seriously injured or possibly even die, but it didn't matter much to me now that I saw those horrible people trying to harm you. So I ran deep into the forest and built a raft. I grabbed some fruit and packed it on too… but the villagers found me as I was gathering food so I couldn't bring very much along…"_

Mah looked towards the shores where she could barely make out the dim figures of the villagers on the shoreline. All of them were waving their arms, many of them holding weapons. A lump formed in her throat at the sight of the people who had once been so kind to her in her time of need screaming and yelling at her as if she were a monster. As she heard the wracked sobs of the little green dinosaur living inside her head, her heart melted.

"It's alright Yoshi," she said quietly, "It's not your fault… they probably would've driven me out someday anyway…"

Yoshi's sobs silenced at her words, settling down to tiny hiccups. _"You really mean it?"_

Mah smiled. "Of course… where to now?"

"_The mainland. That's just about the only place we can go now…"_

Mah spotted an oar sitting next to her. Picking it up, she proceeded to row her way in the direction of the mainland. She concentrated hard on her destination, only looking up once to watch as a forest green light streaked across the night sky.

**

He was sick and tired. He was done with Pit's ranting about his guardian. He did not want to hear any more groans as the days passed without the familiar crackling of lightning. Above all, he was sick of the jar in which he was entombed.

The crackle of lightning was a blessing, he was sure of it. It was an answer to his prayers. He, the forest green smoke, saw it coming and knew at that moment it was time for his freedom. He had said goodbye to the woman he loved only moments before and now he was free.

The ruins of Smashville whizzed by as he flew over them, his destination straight ahead. He did not bother looking down at the sparkling blue sea as he passed, ignoring the numerous factories that dotted the once beautiful landscape. Piercing blue eyes never wavered from the shape of the lone mountain before them, only widening in excitement as he was sent hurtling into a deep dark cave. And there he travelled in the darkness for just a bit more before he was spit out into the bright sunshine of his home. And as he whirled about, taking in the familiar sights and sounds, three voices greeted him, seeming to emerge from the heavens themselves.

"_Oh, Chosen Hero!"_

"_We have been waiting for you!"_

"_Welcome home…"_

***insert drum roll here* It's time for… the Fire Emblem vocabulary lesson! *insert applause here***

**Beorc: The name for humans on the continent of Tellius. They can wield weapons and magic… and stuff…**

**Laguz: The name for the people on the continent of Tellius that have the ability to shape shift into animals. There are beast tribe laguz, consisting of the cats, lions, tigers, and wolves. There are also bird tribe laguz, consisting of the hawks and ravens. The third type of laguz are herons, laguz that do not fight, but they aid their allies in battle by the use of special songs, or galdrs. Finally, there are dragon type laguz that are either white, red, or black dragons.**

**Ragnell: Ike's giant sword thing! It is blessed by the goddess Yune.**

**Ettard: Ike's other giant sword thing! It's not blessed, but only he can wield it.**

**Sigmund the Rapier: One of the Sacred Twins of Renais. Only Princess Eirika can wield it.**

**Greil Mercenaries: A group of mercenaries led originally by Greil, Ike's father. **

**Goldoa: Land of the Dragons. Beorc and non dragon tribe laguz are not allowed within its borders.**

**Gallia: Land of the beast tribe laguz. **

**Benigon: A kingdom**

**Crimea: Another kingdom**

**Daein: Oh, oh, guess what? It's **_**another**_** kingdom!**

**Tellius: The continent where all the kingdoms listed above are located, including Gallia and Goldoa.**

**Ashunera: The goddess of dawn. That's all you need to know…**

**Seeya next chapter, guys! Oh, and I plan to put a new poll concerning this story up on my profile either today or tomorrow…**


	7. Rinku

Rinku, Prince of Courage

**First off… it's a few answers to reviews!**

Future Cam: Yeah… I _did_ get the names mixed up… oh well! Your Rapier's still named Sigmund because that's a cooler name! ;) And I also misspelled Begnion…

Mah: Don't worry. I won't put too many Fire Emblem terms into future chapters. I just had to get it out in Ike's chapter because he's the Fire Emblem hero I'm closest to! :D

To All You People Who Wanna See Chainy the Chainsaw: Okay, okay! I'll put it in soon, promise! Don't killz me!!! *gets shot* Ouch…

**And what is this? Another chapter to Guardians Arise! We will now travel to a distant land, where octopi attack you for no apparent reason and where butterflies somehow turn into fairies when you touch them with a stick! What the heck is wrong with this world? What's its importance to Guardians Arise? Why is that weird rock with the Sheikah symbol staring at me!?!?!?**

**And so dear readers, sit back, relax, maybe put on your trusty Mask of Truth, and enjoy!**

Samus felt a sudden surge of adrenaline rush through her young guardian's veins as he broke into a sprint. A great shout had been heard not long ago, as if coming from the mouth of a particularly young and perhaps small being. It had soon been followed by a great rush of powerful electricity as every Primid that had patrolled the halls at the time were immediately knocked off their feet and slammed against the walls. The rank stench of burning Shadow Bugs filled the air as each and every one of Tabuu's followers screeched out in agony.

Golfer coughed slightly as he made his way through the great forest of smoking Shadow Bugs. "Ugh! It stinks here! What are these guys made of, poop?"

"_In a way," _Samus answered, _"The Primids are created from a form of waste that the world of light does not need. By harnessing the energies of these wastes, Tabuu is able to create his army, although I have said it to those two hands time and times again that the molecular compounds in creating the Smashballs were a little too pure because the dark strands of compounds that were not included in the Smashballs could easily assemble and come together to formulate a truly horri-"_

"Uh… yeah… great…" Golfer interrupted, "Thanks for the unnecessary info…"

Samus couldn't help but roll her eyes at his remark, though she knew he could not see. Her voice echoed slightly in his head as she murmured things about how even a hundred years into the future many humans were unable to understand her scientific dialect. Indeed, she wondered just how they ever got along without the wide expanse of scientific knowledge she possessed. It wasn't for the first time at that moment that she compared her view of the world to Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf, the Triforce Trio.

Link possessed the power of courage without a doubt. Courage was what gave him the ability to face up to the greatest of dangers without backing off. She was quite aware that even courage can have fear. However, courage also occasionally ran off of stupidity, such as someone thinking they were extremely brave and running out in front of a speeding car. Courage, she had noticed over the years, was the source of power quite a few humans would choose if they had the choice.

Ganondorf, with his great expanse of power, also possessed a gigantic force that was to be reckoned with. Many humans would do anything for such power and it was this power that also led many of the most foolhardy of humans to their deaths. Power was possibly the most coveted, yet the most uninteresting part of the Triforce Trio, as it was the most well- known of them all and the most overused.

Wisdom, however, was another force entirely to the bounty huntress. Wisdom was deep and mysterious, surrounded by the shadows of doubt and secrecy. Samus had spoken a great many times with the princess Zelda, wisest of them all, but even then it amazed her to see how the princess was able to give both a straight answer and a cryptic one all at once. It was wisdom that held the balances of courage and power together for one would need the wisdom to know exactly when to use the power and the courage. If one had power but no wisdom, one could easily destroy oneself, as Samus had been taught. The same went with courage and that was why Samus valued wisdom above all other forces.

"It sure is quiet here," Golfer remarked, tightening his grip on his gun as he continued walking.

Samus laughed. _"What's wrong? Scared that something might come out and eat you?"_

A light blush appeared on his cheeks. "Maybe…"

Another laugh escaped the bounty huntress as she sensed the nervous tension laced within his voice. _"Chill out! Whatever that was, it was pretty powerful. The power readings were off the charts according to your scanner, but let's not forget that such power can also waste an awful lot of energy. Whatever caused it must be pretty tired out by now…"_

Her guardian came to an abrupt halt, his dark eyes scanning the area. A tiny noise could be heard in the din, like the breathing of a small and wounded animal. The noise was high and just a bit squeaky, coming out in short, painful pants. Gripping his weapon all the more tighter, he advanced towards the noise, careful not to make a sound.

Samus's senses were on high alert as they continued stepping over large piles of smouldered Subspace goop. The horrid stench did not help at all as Golfer had to hold his breath as he navigated his way around. Samus felt his heart racing ten fold as the little panting noises grew louder and louder in volume. A cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. She was unsure if it was he or herself that caused it. But still she kept her head as they approached a small shape in the distance.

"_Do you see it?"_ she asked, squinting a bit to try to make out the shape.

He answered with a gulp and a slight incline of the head as he shakily pointed his gun at the shape. "A-Alright you! I am part of Lord Tabuu's elite bounty hunting squad. If you know what's good for you, I would surrender immediately and come quietly…"

The shape stirred a bit. Samus watched in slight amazement as it weakly lifted its head to gaze at the boy with the gun. Deep black eyes glittered out from the darkness, confused and full of innocence. A lump appeared in her throat as the eyes changed from confusion to fear, to fierceness, to weakened, and finally acceptance. The shape laid its head down on the ground, its breathing shallow. The mane of frizzy hair that covered the head caught the light as it did this, shining a beautiful gold. She felt the pointer finger of her guardian preparing to squeeze the trigger, ready to end its life once and for all.

"_Don't!!!"_ she shouted, causing him to jump.

She was too late. He had squeezed the trigger, causing the bullets within the gun to go flying. Bullet after bullet bounced off the walls, some narrowly missing the shape and her guardian. She felt the stinging pain of the bullets as some grazed Golfer's skin, watching in terror as his warm red blood mixed with the scorched Shadows Bugs that littered the floor. Small flashes of light could be seen as the shape used the last of its efforts to send tiny blasts of electricity at the bullets as they wizzed by. Finally, the rain of bullets stopped.

Golfer, who had been cowering a bit in a corner, slowly crept up to the shape. The shape, after using so much energy, lay still once again. Both he and Samus watched it intensely as its chest slowly rose up and down. The breathing was becoming more and more ragged now, as if it hurt the shape simply to breathe.

"_It looks safe…"_ Samus said uncertainly, unable to clearly see the lump on the floor in the dim light.

"But is it?" Golfer asked nervously, failing to keep his voice from shaking.

"_Only one way to find out,"_ she replied, _"It's hurt… we need to help it…"_

"Help it!?!?"

"_Help it,"_ she said calmly, _"The goal of every bounty hunter during a mission, at least in my day, is to finish a job with as few casualties as possible. If this thing can speak, we should hear its story. Then we can decide for ourselves if it's a potential ally or an enemy."_

"You're the boss," he told her, bending down to pick up the shape on the floor.

Samus let out a gasp as the thing was held up to the light. It was a Pikachu to be sure. But it was not the Pikachu she had spent so much time with in the first Subspace War. This Pikachu was a female, dressed in a black hoodie and a rather adorable looking mini skirt. Sneaker covered her feet and in her hand she grasped a curious metal object that shone faint silver in the dim light. Her chest shallowly rose and fell, and between her guardian's fingers, Samus could just barely feel her pulse.

"What's this thing?" Golfer murmured, trying to pry the strange metal tube from the Pikachu's grip.

Despite his best efforts and the obvious exhaustion of the Pikachu, she still grasped the tube with a cold iron grip, as if it were her very lifeline in the palm of her hand. Samus did a quick scan of her face, taking in the multiple gash marks and other injuries that had to be the result of a great battle against the followers of Tabuu. One look at the girl's cracked lips told her everything.

"_She's dehydrated! Get her water, now!"_ Samus ordered, _"She won't last much longer if we don't get her something to drink soon!"_

At the sudden sharp edge in her voice, Golfer almost dropped the female Pikachu. After fumbling a bit with the canteen strapped tightly to his belt, he unscrewed the cap and gently held it to the little pokemon's lips. A small trickle of crystal clear water came out of the container and onto her little lips, moistening them. With a sudden lurch, she stuck out her little red tongue to catch the drops as they trickled down her chin. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking a bit before letting out a small moan.

"Where am I?" she groaned, squirming a bit in his arms, "Who are ya? Where did those stupid Primids go? What's that smell? Can I have more water? Do ya have anything to eat? I'm starved! Me and Pikachu both! Just don't give Bob anything 'cause he's a dick!"

Samus chuckled as question after question came pelting at her. _"Well, you heard the lady! She's hungry!"_

Golfer carefully set the Pikachu down and knelt until he was eye level with her. "Okay, I have some food in my backpack. You still look pretty dehydrated to me, so go ahead and help yourself to all the water you need. Just give me a minute…"

As he reached into his backpack, a sudden gulping and burping sound could be heard behind him. Next thing he knew, there was a completely empty canteen lying at his feet and a rather satisfied looking female Pikachu placing the strange metal tube she carried back into the pocket of her hoodie. At the sight of his staring she only smiled and sat down patiently to await her food.

"_Start small,"_ Samus instructed, _"She shouldn't overeat herself in this condition…"_

Golfer tossed a granola bar in her direction. "Here, start with this. When you want more just a-" He gave a shout of surprise.

A granola bar wrapper had landed at his feet as he said those very words. Of course, the Pikachu was jumping up and down, her eyes sparkling happily. Reading her message, he held out another granola bar for her, which was downed in no more than two gulps. She had practically inhaled the precious food, as if she hadn't had a proper meal in years. It wasn't long until she abandoned the small amounts of rations he gave her and instead made a dive for the backpack itself.

It was as if a bomb had gone off in there as she continued to eat. Bags and wrappers flew everywhere, as well as a few crumbs. He could hear her every bite as she squealed with anticipation of the delicious foods between her teeth. She crunched through the chips, gnawed through the jerky, horked down the canned fruits and vegetables. It was more than once that a can would fly out of the backpack, dangerously close to Golfer's face which he had to dodge. Samus was extremely amused by this show, as it brought back fond memories of life in the Smash Mansion before Tabuu returned and this whole mess started.

She remembered how the portions of food Master Hand would give was _never_ enough for the biggest eaters: Kirby, King Dedede, and Yoshi. When he was gone, they would always attack the kitchen, sometimes even having a great Brawl over the last slice of banana cream pie. Of course, it was always the veteran Smashers, such as Mario and Link who were forced to come in to break them all up. Other times Metaknight would simply come in and wave Galaxia around a bit to stop them. He was feared by most, if not all, of the Smashers for he was the supreme winner of the Brawl tournament.

Even then the sight of the female Pikachu eating her way through the ten days worth of food brought back the memories of her first food fight. She had not understood what the fun was in throwing globs of food around like an idiot. It always left a huge mess to clean up afterwards and a good yell fest from Master Hand. That was until Pikachu came along and showed her just how fun a food fight could be. How it was just like a brawl in many ways and how good it was to get revenge on a person without seriously hurting them. Since then, she had become a feared figure in the monthly Smash Mansion food fights, with her powerful throwing arm and amazing speed for dodging. She could win without cheating with reflectors, as what the Star Fox trio often did. Samus smiled as these memories became clear in her mind, a small lump forming in her throat at the thought of the days long gone.

Golfer saw these memories as well. "Must've been pretty crazy back then…"

Samus sighed. _"It sure was…"_

As the female Pikachu continued eating, the two bounty hunters simply sat back against the wall, sharing their fondest memories with each other.

**

Cameron's feet made small crunching sounds in the great mess of burnt sticks and whatnot as he neared his destination. It was an awful long way from the Greil Mercenary fort and without a dragon or a Pegasus to ride on, he was exhausted. Raising a hand to his face, he looked up at the sun, trying his best to measure what time it was. The sun was high in the sky, beating its cruel rays down on the already over baked earth. He estimated it was about noon by now.

"We're almost there," he told the Hero of Crimea who lay comfortably in the back of his mind, "Just about another eighth of a mile…"

"_Good,"_ Ike said, sounding relieved, _"It'd be nice to see everyone again…"_

Cameron smiled, but it was a small, tight thing that lacked warmth and happiness. This went unnoticed by Ike as he was much too busy remembering all the good times he had with his beloved mercenary troupe. He kept walking.

Meanwhile, Ike carefully summoned the many memories of the mercenary troupe he held dear to his mind. He remembered Titania, with her scarlet hair swinging in the wind as she rode her warhorse free in the open fields. Gatrie, in his navy blue armor, flirting with pretty damsels. Shinon, his crimson hair set in a ponytail, hunting down wild animals with his bow. Boyd, his axe over one of his shoulders, cutting down trees for firewood. Rhys, pale and sickly, tending to the wounded. Oscar, always smiling, helping out wherever he can. Rolf, his young face eager and bright, shooting arrow after arrow at a target over a hundred feet away. Soren, always dark, practicing magic whenever he can. Above all, he saw Mist, his loving little sister, cooking and cleaning the fort.

"We're here…" Cameron said quietly, snapping him from his reverie.

Ike looked through his eyes expectantly, expecting to see his troupe going about their ways in happiness. What met him was a truly saddening sight indeed. There were tombstones. As far as the eyes could see there were tombstones. Some bore names he never heard of, such as "George", "Kevin", and "Kyle". But many had the names of his loved ones etched forever on their marble surface, telling him all that had happened since he left.

A stone cold hand clutched at his heart as he read the names one by one, refusing to accept what had happened. _"N-No… they wouldn't… they couldn't… they… they're…"_

"Dead," Cameron whispered, his voice quavering just a little bit, "All dead… killed in the Great War of Subspace…"

"_T-Tabuu… he was here?"_ Ike asked, his anger rising.

Cameron could only manage a nod, his eyes downcast. Ike was furious now, the storm of emotion raging within him rising to breaking point. Tabuu, Lord of Subspace, had taken over Smashville, destroyed the beauty that surrounded it, hurt his friends, destroyed his home. But now that he messed with his beloved troupe, his _family_, this was war. He swore that he would never rest until he had his vengeance.

Ike shook so much that it made even Cameron shake as Ike's emotions took some control of his body. Ike ignored his guardian's cry of surprise as his eyes darted from tombstone to tombstone, reading each and every name of the person he had fought with during the Mad King's War and marched with when he stormed the Tower of Guidance. Here were Michiah and Sothe, Geoffrey and Elincia, Mist… With every name came another tsunami of anger. And when he spoke his voice was almost choking on his fury, his vision becoming red with rage.

"_I'll get you, Tabuu…"_ he said angrily, his voice choked with tears of fury and sorrow, _"I'll find you… and when I do, I'm going to make you pay… you'll pay for the death of every person in this Ashera damned graveyard. Yune dammit, Tabuu, you will PAY!!!!"_

**

He sighed. He had been flying for what seemed like hours now and there was no sign of life anywhere. The trees, the grass, everything had been burned. The land once so beautiful and lush was now blackened and scorched. Not a single sign of life could be seen anywhere. He missed life in Hyrule.

It wasn't long until he saw the castle way off in the distance, shining white hot in the bright sunlight. As he neared the castle, he heard noises. These noises were muffled at first, but as a breeze pushed him closer to the source, he recognized them at once: the sounds of steel against steel. Cries of pain and hatred could be heard from what seemed like every corner of the war as he neared. Even more distinct was the horrid sound of crunching bones as sword after sword was jabbed through the ribs and into the hearts of men.

He frantically zoomed through the clouds and into the fray, watching with his piercing blue eyes as the battle raged on. The soldiers themselves took no notice of the forest green smoke that had suddenly darted in their midst, as they were too busy trying to kill each other to notice. Link, Hero of Twilight, looked on in shock as his fellow countrymen fought each other for naught a single clear reason.

Many of them, Link noticed, were garbed in chain mail with red banners upon them. The red banners possessed the symbol of the Triforce broken into three pieces with the topmost piece, the piece of power, enlarged over the pieces of wisdom and courage. They were all well built brutes who fought with strength equal to that of ten men as they felled each and every one of their enemies by the thousands.

The enemy wore chain mail as well, but with green banners instead of red. The banners too showed the three pieces of the Triforce, only with the Triforce of courage, Link's piece, enlarged over the other two. These men were not nearly as well built as their foes, but all were courageous in their comings and many died heroic deaths. They stood up against the great brutes and it was with great courage and strength that they were able to defeat them. In the confusion and excitement of the battle, Link was unable to tell who was currently gaining the upper hand. As he scrutinized the great battle for more detail, a small force tugged on him, telling him it was time to move on.

Link was reluctant to go, longing to pick up his own sword and enter the fray. If he had a body, he knew his fingers would be tingling with anticipation at that moment, ready to unsheathe the Master Sword right away to leap into battle and fight in the name of his princess. Zelda…

Turning his back on the battle, he allowed the strange force to carry him over a few fields. A lump formed in his throat as he gazed upon what dotted the many fields of Hyrule. Dead bodies, belonging to both sides, littered every corner of the fields. Some had arrows sticking to them like porcupine needles. Others were bleeding profusely, seeming to swim in their own pool of blood even in death. Still others were still moving ever so slightly, as if they were still alive. That out of all the other things Link had seen so far saddened him most of all. The very thought of an entire army leaving their wounded soldiers to die cold and alone was a horrible and sickening thought.

The more fields he passed the more sickening the sights became. Many of the soldiers had been stripped of their armor so they lay naked in the blackened field. Others had died with a possession of theirs, whether it be a handkerchief from their lady, or a memento from home, a mere few inches away from their fingertips. Link had fought in a great many wars as Captain of the Hylian Knights and eventually, the Personal Body Guard to the Princess, but even he had not seen such saddening sights.

It wasn't long until he was brought to a great forest where a great pavilion could be seen. The bodies of wounded and sick soldiers were everywhere. Doctors and nurses ran to and fro, tending their patients. Link noticed the blue cloth of the pavilion. He was in a medical camp for those who had the Triforce of Courage on their banner.

The force gave him a small nudge in the direction of the medical tent. As a green smoke, Link was easily able to ease his way through a small crack in the tent's opening, taking care not to be seen. In the tent, there were seriously wounded soldiers, all of them suffering wounds to the ribs and more. He watched as nurses and doctors scurried about, tending to the sick and wounded. Other soldiers, the ones who were strong enough to stand, carried bodies outside. The bodies were covered in a white cloth and whoever it was never moved. It was with a sickening lurch in his stomach that Link remembered what that meant. The person had died.

Link soon noticed a particularly wounded young man, being tended to by a nurse. His face was as white as death, blood leaked through his bandages and onto his blankets. His blonde hair was simply painted red with dried blood. Though he looked quite tired and weak, his blue eyes were bright and alert, as if he would be ready to attack should the enemy try to invade camp. The nurse was doing her best to bandage one of the many wounds that dotted his body, jumping at every little movement he made. Link soon found himself being drawn to this young man, and as he floated close, he felt himself being sucked in. with a sudden whoosh he was pulled into his mind.

The young man's mind was a battlefield. As far as the eye could see, his thoughts were forever upon the war that raged in front of Hyrule castle. Here were some war statistics, there were some weapon strategies. All of this made Link's head spin and it was only by summoning his own thoughts of the beauty that Hyrule once was into his mind that he was able to stop himself from completely losing it.

"Who's there?" the young man asked suddenly, causing his nurse to flinch, "I would never think of the beauty of Hyrule in these times. Who's there?"  
Link was quite startled as well, but he managed to keep his voice as calm and collected as possible. _"I am Link, Hero of Twilight and Personal Body Guard to the Princess Zelda."_

The young man jerked up immediately, flinging off his blankets and causing his nurse to scream. "No way! There's no way… you… you can't… I…"

Link grinned for the first time in years. _"I know, surprising eh? You'll get used to it…"_

"I have the freaking Hero of Twilight in my head!!!" he crowed, winning him many strange looks from those in his tent, "I, Rinku, am the guardian of the Hero of Twilight!"

"_Yes… well… we'll have to get going soon…"_

"To battle?" Rinku asked excitedly, "I'm all up for one!"

Despite his wish to go into battle as well, Link sighed. _"Sorry, but you're in no condition to fight right now and… and we need you alive when we get there…"_

"Get where?" Rinku asked, ignoring the many stares he was getting.

"_To Mount Smash. Something tells me that what we need to do next lies there…"_

"Then let's head out!" Rinku said, rising out of his bed.

A sudden great pain shot through him as soon as his feet touched the ground, causing him to stagger and collapse. Link felt the throbbing pain as well and even then it was painful enough to make him cry out. The nurse that had been tending to him gently pushed him back down, telling him that he was in no condition to stand up. Despite Rinku's arguments, he lay still, scowling slightly because of all the action he was missing.

Confusion hovered in Link's thoughts. _"What happened to the old fairy treatment? All you had to do was go up to a butterfly, touch it with a deku stick, and it'll turn into a fairy…"_

"Fairies are only for royalty now," Rinku groaned, shifting his position in bed, "They population really dropped when this whole stupid war started… ever since you and Princess Zelda didn't return for that one summer…"

"_What happened?" _Link asked, concern evident in his voice.

Rinku shrugged, wincing slightly as pain shot through his shoulders. "Not much to say… when you two didn't come home for that summer during the Brawl tournament, King Daphnes went crazy. He sent search parties everywhere to look for you two. With most of the soldiers gone, it didn't take long for some guy to come along and usurp the throne. The Hylian Royal Knights were taking sides, some on the usurper king's side and others on King Daphne's side. It wasn't long until war broke out between the two sides. Those who fought with the usurper king called themselves the Holy Knights of Power. Those on the king's side called themselves the Warriors of Courage. King Daphnes died a year ago, but this war is still raging on… his last wish was for a group of us to go out and find Princess Zelda again. The group that broke off to find the princess called themselves the Disciples of Wisdom. They haven't been seen for a while and a lot of us think they're dead…"

Link's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his princess's name. It was not that long ago that he had said goodbye to her, unsure of whether or not he would ever see her again. Though he possessed the Triforce of Courage, he still did not possess enough courage to tell her how he felt. How he wished he could simply be with her forever…

A sudden crash snapped him out of his thoughts. A huge man, dressed in shining blue armor entered the tent, swinging a powerful battle axe as if he owned the place. He stopped in front of Rinku and turned around, his deep voice echoing around the tent.

"As captain of this regiment, I hereby decree that all those soldiers who still have enough limbs to fight must fight!"

A great murmuring came up at his words as doctors and nurses exchanged worried glances. Then a doctor, the oldest in the tent stepped forward, his voice quavering slightly in the presence of the great knight.

"But sir! These patients are not fit for fighting!"

"Oh yes they are!" the knight boomed, "If they still have arms and legs then they should still be able to fight!" He then whirled around the tent before pointing a large finger right at Rinku, "Look there! That kid looks fit enough to fight! He has all his limbs doesn't he? Why isn't he out there knocking some heads together?"

"He's badly wounded, sir," Rinku's nurse said quietly, "He's in no condition to even stand, let alone fi-"

"Silence, woman!" the knight bellowed, "I make the rules around here and I say that kid is good enough to fight!"

"But si-" she protested before being cut off again.

"I shall deal with you no more, woman!" he roared, "Now if that young man will simply get out of here, I'll be on my way!"

Despite the pain that shot through him with his every movement, Rinku got to his feet, his blue eyes blazing with determination. "I'll fight alright. And once I get out of there alive, I'll make you _pay_ for how you treated this woman!"

"If you survive," the knight said grimly, "Now hop to it!"

Link was aghast at the knight's harsh treatment of the other soldiers who were forced to fight, despite their deep wounds and sickness. _"Who died and made that guy king?"_

"King Daphnes," Rinku replied grimly, "He was once one of the king's best generals, next to you of course. But he doesn't know a thing about tactics and battle. He marches around all day in that fancy armor of his giving out orders, but never taking part in the battle himself…"

The sounds of fighting grew louder as they approached, the flash of sword against sword almost blinding them. It was with the whip of the armoured one on their shoulders that the unfit soldiers were forced to enter the fray. Rinku hopped, skipped, and jumped around the many swords that came his way, parrying them with blows of his own from time to time.

Link was impressed by his swordsmanship. Rinku thrust with strength and with ease, dodging when he needed to and keeping his eye always on the opponent. When a particularly large Holy Knight of Power came at him, he jabbed upwards with his blade, catching the knight in the shoulder. As the knight struggled to yank out his sword, Rinku managed to draw his trusty hunting knife and quickly end the knight's life as another came at him.

Link recognized the move even before Rinku knew what he was doing. He swung his sword in a wide arch around him before swinging it in a great circle with great speed and strength, harming all that surrounded him. Another came at him, along with two more, but he used both his sword and his hunting knife to block their attacks while at the same time issue jabs of his own.

More soldier poured in on both sides, trying to keep Rinku from harming any more of their fellows. The first few soldiers that came at him were fought off with ease, but the next few were harder. A sudden blow to the back of his head caught him off guard, drawing blood from him. Another blow to his stomach winded him, causing his eyes to water. Still another blow came at his face, creating a wide gash on his cheek. Rinku swung his sword wildly, trying to catch his attackers. But it was of no use as the sword was soon wrenched from his grip.

Strong hands suddenly rained down on the young man, pinning him to the ground. His hunting knife was grabbed and held at his throat with its blade just barely pressed against his skin. Even then he felt the trickle of blood down his neck as his vision turned red with the blood that dripped down his forehead. He could hear the laughter of his enemies as they proceeded to press the knife even harder to his throat, ready to slice it open right then and there.

Link's heart was pounding heavily as this happened, but he was always prepared. Concentrating with all his might, he allowed himself to take over the body of his guardian, watching as the young man's fear bubbled up within his mind. A moment of pure pain soon passed as Link used the unerring skill of a swordsman to knock the knife out of his enemy's hand.

Using his left hand, he twisted the arm of the soldier that held him and tossed him aside, hearing a sickening crunch as the man broke his arm. Another soldier joined him as he kicked the man off and twisted his arm until it was purple and blue.

Pounding footsteps could be heard to his left and right as more soldiers came at him. Link saw Rinku's sword, but it was lying over 50 feet away, too far away to grab it. With a desperate prayer to the goddesses, his closed his eyes and waited. His prayer was answered.

The Master Sword glowed white hot as it flashed through the air, so sharp it cut the wind. He hacked and he slashed, he stabbed and he cut. He was a machine, a thing of war. It was win or lose, live or die, be free or be imprisoned…

Link collapsed on his knees, his breath coming out in short puffs. All around him the enemy lay dead or dying. His allies were walking about, inspecting everything. For once, all was quiet. Link gazed at the blood on his hands, a horrible lurching in his stomach telling him all that he needed to know: he had spilled Hylian blood.

A great wave of regret and shame washed over him as he stood up and ran off, not looking back. He ignored the shouts of his comrades and just kept running, never stopping until he reached a great cave where he huddled in a corner, tears stinging his eyes. He had spilled Hylian blood. It was the blood of his own race and he had spilled it. It was a crime against the goddesses themselves. The Master Sword clattered to the floor, but he ignored it, still lost in his misery.

"_Hey… it's alright…"_ Rinku said, trying to comfort the hero, _"Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices in life…"_

"I spilled Hylian blood…" Link moaned, not noticing how strange it was that his voice was coming out of Rinku's body, "I spilled the blood of Hylians… me, Hero of Hyrule…"

Rinku let out a sigh. _"Listen, Link… you have to spill blood in every war… no matter how hard you try, there's going to be blood spilled on both sides… war tears apart even the best of friends, families even! It's not like this world is perfect… heck, if it were, there'd be no fights…"_

"And I could be with Zelda…" Link murmured absentmindedly.

"_Whoa, what was that?"_

Link realized his mistake. "N-Nothing!"

"_Right…"_

Link turned his back on the mouth of the cave, concentrating instead on the strange stone he sat next to. It was smooth and round, like a tombstone. A great eye was set on it, seeming to gaze deep within his very soul. He knew the eye to be the symbol of the Sheikah, but they were said to be extinct…

"What is this?" he asked, poking the stone a little.

"_That's a Gossip Stone!"_ Rinku said excitedly, _"They were all supposed to be destroyed! Holy Farore, this is amazing! We can learn so much from these guys…"_

"Learn…?" Link asked, striking the stone.

The strange rock was surprisingly rubbery as it bounced up and down before it finally spoke in a rather squeaky voice. "Boing! Boing! The time is now 5:20 PM!"

"_That's what happens if you strike it," _Rinku explained, _"Now if we just had the Mask of Truth…"_

"You mean this?" Link questioned, holding up a strange looking mask he had found next to the stone. It looked exactly like the stone in every way, only it was a mask.

"_That's it! Now just put it on and stare at the stone…"_

After carefully wiping the dust off the mask, Link placed it on his face and leaned in closer to the stone. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then, the stone glowed just the teeniest bit before it began to speak in a tiny whisper. Link leaned in, as if he were learning a secret from the stone.

"I overheard this…" it said, "They say that Rinku, one of the greatest of Warriors of Courage is actually-"

"Well, well, well…" a voice said behind them, "Look what we have here…"

Link whirled around, his hand darting for the Master Sword. To his utter dismay, the owner of the voice held the sword, turning it a bit in his hand. He was a knight to be sure, dressed in the garb of a high ranking general. His armor shone a blood red in the dim light. He had about five other knights behind him, all of them staring menacingly down at their prisoner, cracking their knuckles.

"It seems we have a little runaway Warrior of Courage," the first one said, his voice amused, "Care to take off that silly little mask for him…?"  
In one swift, fluid motion, the Mask of Truth was grasped tightly in the hands of one of the knights. A chuckle escaped the leader as he stared down at his captive.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Prince Rinku…"

_D-Did he just say what I think he said...?_ Link thought, slightly bewildered.

"_Yep," _Rinku said gloomily, _"My name is Rinku Gamerofloz, Son of the Usurper King Sorius and Prince of Hyrule…"_

**

"_Come here my little princess!" her father crooned, his golden beard shaking with happiness._

_She ran into his arms, burying her tear stained face in his strong chest. "Daddy! He wouldn't play with me today! I wanted to play with him, but he said he had to go train! Why? I don't get it…"_

_Her father gently stroked her hair, giving her a small comfort in her misery. "My dear, he wishes to be able to protect the kingdom someday. If he is to do that, he must practice. Practice until he is just as wonderful as his father…"_

"_But he's always played with me before…" the little girl sobbed, "He used to never think about how much he wanted to be a great fighter… we used to just go play in the meadows and pick flowers…"_

_He patted her head. "There, there my child. Don't worry… someday, you'll both look back on this and smile. For you have golden memories to treasure and you should treasure them always. Why, he may become a wonderful husband for you someday…"_

_Despite her sadness, she laughed. "Daddy, don't say that! We're just friends! Getting married to him will be so gross!"_

_Her father's laugh boomed all around the room. "You just never know, my treasure! One moment you two can be playing your little games out in the fields and the next the priest will join your hands and-"_

_His daughter wrinkled her tiny nose. "Ew! Don't talk about that, Daddy! I'm never getting married!"_

"_Never getting married?" her father roared in laughter, tears streaming from his eyes, "But my dear, you're so young right now! You just never know what will happen in the future…"_

"_But I know what will happen!" she protested, standing up proudly, "I'm not getting married and I'm going to be a really pretty and really good leader and I'll plant flowers everywhere! And then when someone asks me to marry him, I'll just say no! I'm never getting married, Daddy! I'll stay and take care of you!"_

_Her father answered with a shake of his head, sending his golden beard flying. "You just never know, my dear… you just never know…"_

Her eyes opened. It had been a long time since she had seen this memory of just her and her father. It was in peaceful times back then, before she came to join the tournament. She smiled to herself as she remembered the promises she had made to her father. Pride welled up within her as she remembered that she had kept them all! That is, until about a hundred years ago…

She didn't know when he caught her eye. But she knew the thoughts of his hand in hers had begun around the end of the Brawl tournament. Her romantic feelings for him had surfaced in her, hidden for so long. She was head over heels.

Over a hundred years she had watched as the smoke of her love lay curled up in his jar. It was cruel fate that led to Master Hand having just enough jars for every Smasher. If he didn't have enough, she would gladly give up her own jar to share his. Or was that a bit too stalkerish…? She couldn't decide.

Even with the constant string of kidnappings that plagued her life he was always there for her. He would always save her, always be there to comfort her in the end, always be the hero he was destined to be…

Lightning flashed through the sky. She looked up and blinked. It was time. Her name was spelled in the sky for the briefest moment before her jar was hurtled towards the wall and she was set free. She rushed out a window, ignoring the shouts and groans of her fellow Smashers as she was set free at last. Freedom…

**Climar and Pikana (and Picho and Pichn if they're reading this): I'm almost done with your prize fic. I saw that with the plot I picked out, it called for more than one chapter. I'm almost done with the first. It should be up tomorrow... sorry for making you wait so long.**


	8. Cimar

Cimar, Well of Wisdom

**Hello and welcome all! I present to you another chapter! *insert confetti here***

**Disclaimer: Guess what? Don't own a thing! My life sucks…**

_Buuuuurp!!!_

"_Gross!"_ Pit said indignantly, wincing a bit at the extremely rude belch, _"Can't you be a bit more courteous in my presence?"_

Psyche laughed, tossing the emptied soda can into a rather large pile not far away. "What's the matter? The big bad Smasher can't take a few burps?"

A flash of annoyance surfaced within Pit's voice as he spoke, failing to keep it form shaking with his mounting disgust for his guardian. _"W-Well… I thought girls were supposed to be, you know, all prissy about manners and stuff…"_

Psyche burped again as she used her sleeve to wipe her mouth. "I don't know about however many girls you've been with in the last century, but this girl doesn't give a Smash Coin for how good she looks. Times have changed. It's all about survival of the fittest now…"

"_Survival of the fittest or not, you shouldn't be drinking all those sodas!" _Pit told her, _"They're killer for your immune system and-"_

He was interrupted by another one of his guardian's laughs which quickly turned into another belch. "Seriously!?!? I haven't eaten a proper meal in days and you're concerned for how many of these… these…"

"_Sodas," _Pit said slowly, as if he were talking to a five year old, _"S- O- D- A- S… The yucky sugary stuff that's bad for you… B- A-"_

"I get it…" his guardian answered, rolling her eyes, _"Thanks for the life lesson I'll never need…"_

"_W-Well…I don't!"_ the angel retorted, trying his best to regain the upper hand in the argument, _"It's just that we have to remember that my life line's tied to yours, so…"_

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" she huffed, rolling her eyes, "If I die you die. Thanks, _Mom_."

Pit summoned his voice to respond, but decided against it. There was no use in arguing with someone as ignorant as his guardian. He cringed in disgust as the sugary carbonated liquids ran down her chin like there was no tomorrow, creating a river of sticky fluids. It did not help that he too was able to feel the never ending moisture that came from the sodas running down her chin, past her collarbone, and right onto her rather flat br-

No, no, no! What was wrong with him?!? Luckily, his young guardian was all too cut up in her little soda party to hear his thoughts. He had almost allowed himself to think things… things that he never thought he would think at all in his life. He shuddered as he remembered what he had almost done, his breathing coming in deep, ragged pants. He had to concentrate on something else, anything else! Closing his eyes, he summoned forth his memories of the past few days.

They had made reasonable progress, trekking through the great forest that surrounded the strange building in the distance. But as time wore on, both Pit and Psyche soon thought that with every step they took, the building seemed to move farther and farther away. Indeed it had been an exhausting journey for the young former slave girl and when they finally found the abandoned building they were in now, she had immediately collapsed on the nearest table.

The building, Pit assumed, had once been a restaurant. With its many (upended) tables and silverware all over the floor, it was hard to doubt that this had once been a popular cuisine. Even with the five inch thick layer of dust that covered every surface, Pit could just barely discern intricate designs on the walls and carpet. If he squinted just enough, he could almost make out pictures such as a beach with soft white sand and an ocean with crystal clear waters. For the first time in a long time, Pit smiled as he took in the familiar view of the restaurant. He knew which one this was.

It was once called Calypso's Cove, a fine tropical cuisine. Though quite expensive, its Caribbean- style food and wonderful atmosphere was to die for. It used to be quite a normal thing to see Peach and Mario sharing a romantic candlelit dinner at the place, as well as Marth dining with his wife, Sheeda. Toon Link was particularly fond of this place as it reminded him of his travels at sea and it was not an uncommon thing for him to go up to a fellow Smasher and beg them to come with him until they agreed to get him out of their hair. Then again, most of the Smashers usually agreed right away, so his begging was quite unnecessary.

Pit was so immersed in his thoughts that he did not notice when his guardian stopped belching long enough to pick up the leather bound book she had carried with her all this way. He did not hear the delicate rippling of the pages as she flipped from one page to another, trying to decode the fancy script into words. It was only when the words written in the diary were read aloud by her did he stop reminiscing and take notice.

_I, Master R. Hand, hereby shall record what possibly has been one of the greatest burdens I have had to carry in my long existence. Though I did not wish this to happen, I was forced to do this for the sake of my Smashers. Everything started many, many millennia ago…_

**

The sun was a curse, a horrid reminder of the cool island she had been forced to leave behind. Its hot rays beat down on her, taunting her, cruelly reminding her of the shade she could not have. But still she paddled on with her little oar, knowing full well that the sooner she got to the mainland the better. The sunburn on her arm certainly did not help as an almost unbearable pain shot up her arm with every stroke she made in the water, dipping her paddle in and out. But still she held on, biting her bottom lip to keep from crying out.

Though she did her best to hide her pain from the Smasher who lived within her mind, she was unsuccessful. Right at that moment, Yoshi was frantic with worry about his guardian, asking her almost every five minutes if he should take over for her. And every time, Mah would refuse, saying that it was best that she do the hard labour to build up her strength for the impending battle against Tabuu.

"_Are you sure you're fine, Mah?"_ the little green dinosaur asked for the umpteenth time, _"Because I can take over for you if you're tired…"_

Mah shook her head, sending her maroon tipped curls flying. "Sorry Yoshi, but we both know that when you take over you drain a lot more energy. I think it's best that I should stay in control because then if real danger comes I'll have enough energy reserved for you to take over and fight."

"_Alright…"_ Yoshi said uncertainly, _"But if you need anything…"_

"I know," Mah told him with a small smile, "You're here."

A period of silence passed between the two as Mah shielded her eyes from the sun's awful rays and gazed out to the horizon. In the distance she saw a strange shape, dark as night. It seemed to be moving closer and closer to her as she simply allowed the little raft to bob up and down on the ocean's gentle waves. The shape approached for a few seconds more before both guardian and Smasher heard a truly strange sound: the crackling of electricity.

Mah's eyes widened in terror as she saw the tiny flashes of white upon the approaching shape. At first, she thought that a storm cloud was approaching and braced herself for the onslaught of treacherous waves and howling winds. But what truly made up the dark shape was worse, much worse than a storm.

A stab of fear swept into her heart as the strange shape continued its approach, gaining definition and color. Before her very eyes the shape turned from black to pure white. Yoshi too felt fear grasp his heart in its ice cold grip as he saw the approach of a danger far more evil and powerful than a mere storm. He had no doubt that he would rather take a storm at sea over this swarm of dangers any day.

"_Spaaks!"_ Yoshi cried, his eyes widening at the sight of the powerful cloud- like enemies he had fought with long ago, _"Mah, look out!"_

She didn't need to be told twice. As the first Spaak sent a whirling ball of electricity in her direction, she managed to dodge it just in time, the horrid electrical sphere just barely missing the top of her head. Another three balls followed it, two of which hit her.

A horrible electric shock coursed through Mah's veins, causing her to cry out in pain. Yoshi's heart raced ten times its usual pace as he felt the jolts of electricity hit his guardian.

Just as he was ready to take over, Mah began throwing her explosive eggs, taking down a couple Spaak at a time. Unfortunately, they seemed infinite in numbers as they simply revived themselves and came at her again. The Subspace Army had grown even more powerful than they already were in the past hundred years. It was as if nothing could stop them.

"_Brace yourself!" _Yoshi shouted as Mah launched a few more eggs at the oncoming clouds.

The Spaak came in an endless swarm, attacking the girl like there was no tomorrow. Though Mah was able to dodge most of their attacks, Yoshi could sense that her energy was slowly draining away to nothingness. Fear overtook reason as Mah was hit by at least ten jolts of electricity at once, sending blinding pain through her body and shaking the very foundations of her mind. There was no time to lose now. Yoshi closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could, feeling himself slowly stretching out and taking over, just as his guardian collapsed down on her knees.

**

She hadn't wanted this to happen, never dreamed it would happen. War. The beautiful fields of her kingdom, once lush and green, painted a horrible crimson red. War. If she had her body she would do something, anything to stop it. War. So many lives were lost, so many families torn apart. All because of war.

The young woman's spirit, represented only as a small cloud of lilac colored smoke, trembled with fear and sorrow at the sight of her once glorious kingdom. What were once the four great fields of Hyrule were now nothing more than canvases, splattered with the red paint they called blood. The Zora River was a river no more. It was a waste filled crevice full of disgusting murky water and muck. As if the copious amounts of garbage that littered the field weren't enough, the bodies of the dead and dying were everywhere.

Princess Zelda Harkinan of Hyrule wanted nothing more than to shed tears over the loss of her people. She had felt this sad once. It was when she was forced to give up her throne and her power to save her people. When Zant had come from the Twilight Realm in all his power and grandeur, it was she who was forced to give up everything she had to prevent the slaughter of the entire kingdom.

How many years had passed since that invasion? She remembered that not long after Link was named her Personal Body Guard, both of them had been invited to attend the Melee Tournament. Link had already gone to the first tournament and it was no surprise that he was extremely excited that Zelda would be coming along as well. Indeed, the days of the Melee Tournament were what Zelda believed to be the greatest days of her life.

That summer, when both she and Link had come home from the tournament, her father began searching for suitable husbands for her. All summer, it seemed, her time was taken up by overcourteous and stuffy princes trying to woo her instead of fishing and having fun with Link like how it was when she was a little girl. She was never happier when the invitation came for her to join the Brawl Tournament, for leaving the stuffy princes behind never made her happier.

It was during the Brawl tournament that Tabuu began his first attack. Every Smasher in the ranks at the time had fought their hardest, but it was Pikachu, one of the most unlikely of them all, who scored the final blow on the menace from Subspace. After much grandeur and celebration, the Smashers returned to their own worlds for the summer where Zelda was forced to go through yet another couple hundred of failed wooings from stuffy princes. Of course, the invitation to the fourth tournament made her heart soar with joy and she happily left Hyrule once again with Link by her side.

But just as suddenly as the invitation came, her joy had stopped. Tabuu had returned and was attacking once again. A group of the veterans, compromised of Kirby, Link, Pikachu, and the great Super Mario himself, was sent to face off with the Lord of Subspace. They never returned.

Zelda had been frantic with worry when her hero did not return. And it was she who was the first to volunteer for the second group to go search for the first group. Marth, Ike, Samus, and Metaknight came along as well.

It had happened so fast. Zelda remembered that she was rushing through Tabuu's Primids, ignoring their many arm thrusts and dodging every one of their lasers. She only had eyes for the blue man in front of her as she quickly transformed into Sheik and readied her powerful throwing knives. After launching them at the Lord of Subspace, she followed up with a high jumped kick aiming at his face. She had seen Tabuu smile once with his nonexistent mouth before he raised his hand and directed a powerful white blast at her. She was engulfed in white light for one moment and trapped in a jar in the next. She didn't know what hit her.

_Creak!_ The sound woke Zelda from her trance, causing her to jump slightly in fright. She was in a strange dark room, illuminated only by a single candle that cast its tiny golden glow on the wooden table on which it was placed. Her great blue eyes darted back and forth as she took in her surroundings, trying to figure out just where she was.

The walls were patched and made of what looked like dirt. The floor was packed dirt as well, the ceiling extending miles high and disappearing into the darkness above. There was furniture, but all of it was made of dark oak wood and absolutely covered in cobwebs and dust. It took a bit to figure it out, but it soon dawned on the Wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom where she was. She was in an underground base of some sort.

The creak was made by a dark figure seated at the head of a long table leaning forward in their seat. Two sea green eyes glittered out from beneath a hood of dark green, scrutinizing another figure dressed in the same way that kneeled on the floor in front of him. Zelda then noticed that the long table was set up like a judging table, with five "judges" on either side of the head one. All of them were dressed in cloaks of dark forest green with hooks to shield their faces. The eleven people seated at the high table also wore medallions forged into the shape of a single triangle. On this triangle was engraved the letter "W". The Triforce of Wisdom.

Zelda then turned her attention to the young man kneeling on the floor, who had his hood off in the presence of the eleven hooded ones. He was of average height and build, with some muscles rippling up and down his arms. A mop of brown hair topped his head and as he lifted his head to gaze up at the panel of judges before him, his blue eyes twinkled slightly in the dim candlelight.

He was dressed similarly to the eleven people before him, only his forest green cloak looked newer than theirs. He fidgeted slightly as he continued to be scrutinized by what Zelda took to be his superiors, and as he moved she caught the glitter of light chain mail concealed under his cloak. Unlike his elders, he did not wear the strange medallion around his neck.

The man seated in the very center of the table made a small movement, shuffling a few papers set before him. After searching through each document one by one, he drew out a single sheet of paper written in beautiful script. He glanced over it once before clearing his throat and addressing the young man who kneeled before him.

"So you are Cimar of Turalis," he said, his voice old and cracked.

Cimar raised his head and nodded, causing his light brown locks to swing. "Yes, sir."

"Son of Sir Uther of Hyrule and Lady Allora of Termina?" the rightmost elder asked, leaning forward as he did so.

"That is correct, sir," Cimar gulped, diverting his eyes.

Zelda sensed the rising tension in the room as Cimar was being questioned by the council. Though the elders were oblivious to his behaviour, Zelda could quite plainly see the nervous tension that ran through his veins. A cold sweat had broken out on his forehead as a few of his superiors leaned in and began speaking to each other in hushed whispers. She saw the blood drain from his rather flushed cheeks as they considered throwing him out. The whispers soon rose into a rather heated argument over whether or not they should put the young man to death if he should decide to dispel their whereabouts. All the while Cimar grew paler and paler.

Finally, the argument stopped and one of them, the left most elder, rose and cleared his throat. "Cimar of Turalis. The great goddess Naryu has smiled upon you today. We hereby welcome you with open arms to the Disciples of Order."

At the sound of the good news a smile broke out on the young man's face, his blood returning to his cheeks. With slight stuttering he bowed to each elder in turn, thanking them for his admission. The middle elder presented him with a medallion that was much smaller than his and sent the young man on his way.

A strange force tugged on the Princess of Hyrule as she watched Cimar dash out of the room. Curiosity overcoming her, she followed him through a great many twists and turns until they came to a pair of great oak doors. She watched with slight interest as Cimar fumbled a bit with his medallion before pressing it to what looked like a scanner on the wall. The doors opened at his touch, revealing a large room.

Zelda couldn't believe her eyes. All around her were shelves upon shelves of books. Many of the shelves extended up into the ceiling thousands of miles above their heads, disappearing into the darkness that no candle can reach. There were large books, small books, old book, new books… everything that a lover of wisdom would need to keep themselves content for life. Her eyes widened as she passed over the titles of each of these rare volumes. Here was a book on magic spells, there was a volume dictating the life of Hyrule's first king.

Cimar walked over to the nearest shelf and ran a single gloved hand along the spines of each of the books, breathing in their musty scent. "Finally…"

With a swift flick of his wrist he snatched a book off the shelf and opened it, bringing it close to the light of the single candle to read. Zelda floated over and peeked over his shoulder to read the title. The book, she noticed, looked quite new, despite the many signs of use. Squinting slightly, she was just barely able to make out the title: _A Hero's Creed_.

Cimar handled each and every one of the delicate pages carefully as he turned them again and again, reading each and every line. Occasionally, he would give a start of surprise, his breath coming in excited little pants as his eyes darted back and forth on the page. But he would always calm down right afterwards and continue his reading. Looking over his shoulder, Zelda could just barely make out the words on the paper. "Link", "Zora", and "Midna" were among them. She smiled in spite of herself. It was a retelling of their adventures in the Twilight Realm.

"There must be a clue somewhere," Cimar murmured, running his fingers through his hair, "There just has to be…"

Heaving a heavy sigh he leaned back and unintentionally brushed the cloud of lilac smoke that hovered behind him with his arm. Before Zelda knew what hit her, she was hurtling along a darkened passageway, going at what seemed like hundreds of miles a second. Finally, she saw a great light in front of her, so bright that it would have blinded her had she not averted her gaze. There was a great flash of light.

His mind was a library. Everywhere there were rows upon rows of books, all of them holding the knowledge the young man possessed. Here and there his memories floated by in the form of picture albums. In the center of the library stood a writing desk with a book opened and ready. A quill pen hovered over the book and as Cimar read each and every word in _A Hero's Creed_, the quill pen would record what he read down in the large book. It was an interesting sight indeed and Zelda could not help but walk over to it and touch the quill pen. It stopped writing at once.

Cimar blinked in surprise as his train of thought was suddenly snapped. He did not understand what had happened just then, but whatever it was, it was unwelcome. He set down his book, taking care to keep it away from the flame and looked about, his blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. It was at that moment that Zelda knew it was now or never.

"_Greetings,"_ she said in her most regal voice, _"To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"_

She was accustomed to the way she was raised. Of how the male was to always introduce himself first. She waited patiently as her new guardian gathered his bearings and found his voice.

Cimar's heart rate raced at the sound of this voice, but he was just barely able to keep his voice from shaking. "I believe that I will be more comfortable if _you_ were to introduce yourself to me first, milady."

"_Come now, Cimar!"_ Zelda said with a tinkling laugh, _"You're wise! You should know who I am!"_

She watched in amusement as Cimar's brows furrowed in concentration. A smile appeared on her lips as he finally came up with her name, realization dawning on his features. She knew his answer even before it reached his lips.

"Princess Zelda!" he gasped, sinking down to one knee out of habit, "Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness!"

Another bell- like laugh sounded in his mind as the princess gave another chuckle. _"Rise, Cimar! There is no need for formalities here."_

"V-Very well, Princess," he said awkwardly, standing up, "But there is much I must learn from you! Why did you disappear? What was it like being in the tournaments each year? Who-"

"_There will be plenty of time for those things later,"_ the princess told him gently, _"But for now, I just wish to know exactly how long it has been since I've gone missing."_

Cimar's face fell at her words. "It has been almost fifty years, milady…"

A lump appeared in Zelda's throat as her guardian said those words, tears pricking her eyes. _"F-Fifty years…?"_

Cimar nodded, his face an ashen grey. "Yes, milady. Your father died a few years ago and it was he who helped form the Disciples of Wisdom. He grew frantic looking for both you and Link when neither of you returned and to his dying day he never gave up. He dispatched a group of knights to go off in search of you while others fought in the war against the Usurper King Sorius."

Within his mind, Zelda collapsed to her ghostly knees, her chest heaving. _"Fifty years… it's been fifty years in-"_

She was interrupted by a wild crackling. The putrid scent of smoke filled the air as both guardian and Smasher directed their attention to the very back of the library. A wild fire had begun and it was quickly spreading, its flames licking every single book in its wake. In the split second that they had gawked at it in shock, the fire had spread from the very back of the room to about an eighth of the way in. Zelda was the first to recover her sense.

"_Cimar, we have to get out!"_ she shouted, _"We have to make it out of here alive if we need to help the others!"_

She watched in horror as her guardian still stood there in a slight daze, ignoring the putrid fumes. "T-The books… all those books…"

"_Cimar!"_ Zelda screamed, _"We need to get out NOW!!!"_

Her last bellow snapped the Disciple of Wisdom out of his trance. Taking care not to breathe in the acrid smoke, he ran over to the nearest shelf and began shoving book after book into a leather satchel he had managed to grab off the table. Despite the princess's protests, he began heaving as many old and rare volumes as he could into the little sack. Once the satchel was full, he swung it over one shoulder and covered his mouth with the collar of his cloak before heading toward the door.

Suddenly, he skidded to a stop. A strange being made entirely out of fire leaped from the flames, waving its flaming arms threateningly in the young man's direction. Another being soon joined the strange creature and then another. The three creatures of flame stood before the surprised young man, cackling at his start of surprise. They did a few movements which seemed like dance moves before rushing at him, their fiery feet licking the ground.

Zelda gawked at these creatures as Cimar dodged them, searching the vast library of wisdom in her own mind to figure out just what these were. Though the constant dodging of her guardian was distracting, she eventually found the sacred piece of information that could save both their lives.

"What are these things?" Cimar asked desperately, drawing out a long steel sword.

"_They're Flare Dancers!" _the princess answered, _"They are made entirely of fire and will burn anything they touch!"_

"Gee, what was your first hint?" Cimar asked indignantly as he swung to avoid a dancing flame, "the book burning or the fire?"

If the princess had been offended by his comment, she made no sign of it. _"Their weakness is the core of their body. We must somehow separate the core from the flames and strike it while it's still weak."_

"Strike the core, sounds easy enough," Cimar said distractedly, parrying a blow from one of the dancers' legs, "No problemo…"

It was then that he saw it, a shield made of obsidian. He made a dive for the precious item just as all three flare dancers gained up on him at once. With a hard swing he hurled the shield from his hand right through the body of the nearest dancer. He saw a strange black object fly through the air as he did so and he immediately charged at it and stabbed it with his sword. The black thing gave a small squeak of despair before exploding into ash.

The other two dancers saw this happening and gave a cry of dismay. Both rushed towards him at lightning speed.

Cimar was able to stab one of them in the core, but he was unable to stop the other from striking him right in the chest. A horrible burning sensation surged through him as the white hot hand of the Flare Dancer made contact with his chain mail, heating it up until it was red hot. His agonized scream was drowned out only by the high cackling of the two Flare Dancers.

"_Cimar!"_ Zelda yelled, _"Let me take over for you!"_

When her guardian did not answer, she took it as a yes. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to slowly melt into the young man's body, ignoring the blinding flash of pain that came with it. When she opened her eyes, she found herself face to face with two murderous Flare Dancers and inhaling horribly putrid smoke.

She inhaled a whole lungful of smoke as one of the Flare Dancers jabbed its arm towards her, flashing neon orange in midair. She rolled out of the way just in time, but was unable to prevent the hem of Cimar's cloak from being singed. Gritting her teeth, she directed a blast of Din's Fire towards her nearest foe. It had no effect, despite her best efforts.

She dodged again as they came at her, her mind racing. She couldn't harm either of them with her magic, but that meant unleashing the Sheikah within her. But it took a few minutes for her to transform into Sheik and even then, would there be enough time for her to get herself and Cimar's bag of books out of the library safely? She had no more time to think as the Flare Dancers began throwing flaming books at her.

After deflecting a few with Naryu's Love, she began her transformation process, slowly transforming from Princess of Hyrule to Last Sheikah Survivor. Her transformation was complete just as the Flare Dancers reached her again. Sheik was reborn.

Cimar's eyes flashed crimson as Zelda became Sheik and it was quite a spectacular indeed when he grabbed a few sharpened quill pens off the desk and hurled them at lightning speed towards his foes. Five of the quills stabbed one of the dancers in the chest, causing it to explode into a cloud of ash. The final dancer was dancing wildly now, throwing a great many flames at the lightning fast Sheikah only to have them dodged over and over again. Sheik used her cunning Sheikah skill to grab the nearest chain off a wall of books and send it swinging right through the dancer, forcing out its blackened core.

The core gave a small squeak of surprise as it was revealed, jumping high in the air. Before it had time to run away, Sheik had already grabbed Climar's sword and leaped at it with a powerful jump strike. With a final dying squeak, the core of the dancer exploded.

Sheik fell to her knees, panting heavily. It was at that moment that she chose to transform once again into Zelda and as the Princess of Hyrule stooped down to pick up Cimar's singled bag, her guardian began applauding her.

"_Wonderful!"_ he said happily, _"You are truly an extraordinary fighter, princess!"_

Zelda smiled, her vision fading just a bit. "T-Thank you… I'm exhausted…"

Before she knew what happened, she was standing in his mind again. Cimar was stooping down and picking up the heavy knapsack, even though his arms and legs felt as if they were made of jello. He was absolutely drenched in sweat and it did not help that the fire was still raging. It was almost upon him now and he knew that if he did not leave soon, he would never leave again.

Using what was left of his strength and energy, Cimar heaved the knapsack onto his back and began walking out. He stopped once more to look forlornly at the destroyed pieces of literature. A single tear fell from his eye as he closed the great oak doors that led to the library. Forever.

**

"_Rinku… hey man, you okay?"_

The young knight slowly opened his eyes and winced as a sudden pain flashed through him. He was being dragged somewhere, his hands bound behind his back. Gone was the Mask of Truth and the Master Sword. Gone was the blue chain mail he so proudly wore into battle. He was dressed in blood red chain mail. The color of his father, the Usurper King.

"Lookie here," a voice said, "Little Prince Rinku's awake…"

Rinku glared up at his captor, a rather skinny man with a skimpy beard. He was pale as death and looked as sickly as can be. His coal black eyes glittered menacingly at his victim, his thin lips curved up into a smile. Link felt Rinku's blood boil at the sight of the man, his teeth clenched in anger.

"Izia, I should've known," Rinku whispered angrily, his voice shaking slightly.

Izia smiled, though it never reached his eyes. "Why my dear prince… your father has been worried sick! After all, those big bad Warriors of Courage kidnapped poor Prince Rinku and forced him to fight for them! Nasty people they are! But now little Princey is safe and-"

"Kidnap me, my arse," Rinku spat, "I joined them of my own free will!"

Link felt an intense dislike for the man who spoke to his guardian in this manner. His dislike only grew as the man gave a high, cruel laugh that reminded him so much of Ganondorf's.

"Poor Prince Rinku!" Izia said in mock concern, "The mean little warriors brainwashed him so now he thinks his daddy is a bad man! Don't worry, Princey! Daddy will make you all better… very soon…"

Before Rinku could retort, Link intervened, his eyes widened in surprise. He had just glanced up at the sky and saw something he knew would bring the Smashers one step closer to their freedom.

"_Rinku, shut up and look up," _he urged.

Despite his doubt, Rinku raised his eyes to the heavens. In the blink of an eye he saw a sudden flash of ocean blue streak across the sky, turning circles in midair. It was then that he knew what was happening. Another guardian had appeared.

**

He remembered happier times. There was the Golden Age of his kingdom, his loving parents, and his wedding. He remembered how he and his beloved younger sibling used to play around in the knight's training grounds, fooling around with silver weapons like they had no care in the world. He remembered those days and his heart ached a thousand times with the knowledge that those days were long gone.

He looked up and found himself gazing upon the horizon. A dark shape loomed ahead. A cave. Before he had time to draw breath, a great gust of wind picked him up and carried him over to the mouth of the cave, throwing him in. he raced through the impenetrable darkness for what seemed like hours until the cave spit him out.

Bright sunlight met him. Blinking a bit in the sudden light, the young Smasher could not help but smile as he saw the beauty of his homeland. From the greatest kingdoms to the smallest towns, he loved them all.

But then he saw the graves. As nothing more than a cloud of ocean blue smoke, he could do nothing more than gaze at the graves of his beloved and his sibling. Another lump formed in his throat at the sight of the names. Both graves were worn with age, almost to the point of crumbling away forever. Though he wished nothing more than to stay with those graves forevermore, a force tugged at him, telling him it was time to go. He sighed and turned back to the graves, unable to cry in his spirit form, but wanting very badly to cry.

"_Goodbye…"_

**Flare Dancers are annoying. There, I said it.**


	9. Nask

Nask, Steadfast Warrior?

***dodges a rotten tomato* Okay, okay, okay! Sorry! I know I made some of you too perfect! I'll try to reduce the Stu/Sue ness, okay? If you have a problem with it, drop me a PM!**

**Yeah… see, the thing is that you don't get those Ice Arrows until AFTER the Fire Temple. When you DO get those arrows, those Flare Dancers rarely pop up…**

**Disclaimer: The things I own are: the plot… and Psyche… the end.**

"Get over 'ere!" a guard ordered, throwing him onto the hard marble floor.

Rinku smashed his head against the ground, causing the gash they had created in his head to burst wide open. Crimson red blood slowly dripped from his forehead as he staggered to his feet, only to be forced roughly to his knees. Link felt a surge of concern for his guardian as the guards that held him grabbed the young man by the back of his head and forced him to look up at the throne. At his father.

King Sorius was truly one of the most intimidating men Link had ever seen in his lifetime. Tall and well- muscled, he wore nothing but midnight black plate armor, the armor blending in to his olive colored skin. His eyes were deep yellow in color and gazed out into the world with an icy coldness that only a true tyrant could possess. His hair, black as ebony, was cut short and hidden by the crown he wore atop his head. His thin, cruel mouth turned upwards into a menacing smile as he gad down at his son as if he were nothing more than a mere delicious meal. Indeed as Link watched, his disgust grew for the man before him as Sorius licked his lips at the sight of Rinku on the floor before him. As he moved forward to gaze at his prisoner, Link could just barely make out the flash of a sword hilt at his waist.

"Rinku…" he said with a wider smile that never reached his eyes, "How wonderful that the nice guards brought you home…"

"Dad," Rinku spat, as if it were poison.

Even without reading Rinku's thoughts Link could easily see the hatred he held for his father. Indeed, it was hard not to hate him when Sorius opened his mouth and laughed. This laugh was unlike any other laugh Link had heard. It was deep and menacing, cold and cruel. It grinded, gnashed, pounded, and cackled. It reverted off of every wall in the palace, magnifying the horrible thing to at least ten times its original volume. It caused the heart of every man and woman n the palace to be grasped by the cold hand of fear and hatred. Even as a spirit Link felt a horrible shiver run down his back at the sound of that laugh and he felt as if he was drowning in the coldest lake in all of Hyrule.

Sorius wiped a single tear from his eye when he finished, his eyes still dark and cold. "Amusing as ever, my son, amusing as ever…"

Izia, who had been standing nearby, cleared his throat and stepped forward, carrying a large bundle. "Sire, these items were found with boy when we… ah, rescued him…"

Sorius looked once at his son before motioning for Izia to open the bundle. Link felt a surge of fear well up inside him as one by one, the items Rinku was carrying tumbled out of the sack. His fears were confirmed when beautiful and shining, the Master Sword tumbled out. Sorius glanced over everything from the Mask of Truth to Rinku's hunting knife without interest. His cold yellow eyes grew wide when his gaze fell upon the Master Sword, his smile almost became too wide for his face. With a flick of a wrist, he caused the precious sword to fly through the air and right into his outstretched palm.

Another surge of fear surfaced from deep within the young hero who was once clad in green. The Usurper King was a powerful magic user, no doubt. Though he searched deep within his early memories, Link could not find a time where Zelda, one of the most powerful magic users he knew, had ever done anything like that.

Link watched in horror as the Usurper King swung the sword in a wide arch over his head, seeming to slice the air itself. He did thrusts, stabs, jump slashes, and spin attacks. With every attack even more fear surged into Link's mind. The Usurper King was a powerful sword wielder as well! Though Link was frantic with worry about this new opponent, Rinku remained calm even in the presence of those powerful blows. His deep blue eyes were fixed only on his father's face as his hatred burned bright and hot within him.

"A fine sword, my son," King Sorius announced when he had finished, "A sword fit for a king, no doubt!"

"Fit for a king?" Rinku repeated, "Are you saying that _you're_ the trueborn King of Hyrule, _Dad_?"

A small chuckle escaped the Hero of Twilight as Rinku rolled out the final word on his tongue, sending all the hatred he held for the man before him with it. Sorius, however, did not seem to hear him as he continued gazing at the Master Sword, checking his reflection on its shining steel blade. A smile curled up on his lips as he then replaced the blade back into the golden sheathe that had come with it.

"Indeed, it is a blade fit for a king," he said again, "But not just any king… a king worthy of the crown he wears upon his head!"

Rinku gritted his teeth in anger as the Usurper King then pulled the sword out of its sheathe. With another swift flick of the wrist, he removed the blade he wore at his waist. After replacing this weapon with the Master Sword, he threw it right out the window, cackling as it clattered into the moat. But neither Link's nor Rinku's eyes were on the blade that had just been rejected. Instead, their gaze was fixed upon the Master Sword.

Link cried out in horror. Rinku clenched his teeth even harder. Before their very eyes, the Master Sword began to change. Once so pure and good, the precious blade was now tainted by the evil King Sorius carried in his sheathe. They watched in horror as the beautiful lilac colored hilt of the blessed sword was swallowed by shadows, emerging black as night and evil as can be.

The Usurper King noticed his son's staring and a wide grinned stretched out upon his face. "Ah, Rinku… you were always the curious sort, were you not? In case you are wondering, yes, I do intend to keep this sword as my own. It suits me, doesn't it?"

"The only thing that suits you is a good old spanking," Rinku snarled, "You're a murderer unfit for your crown!"

That was the last straw. With a sudden, abrupt force, King Sorius shot right out of his throne and stormed over to where his son knelt, striking him across the face. A searing red mark appeared on the face of the young prince, opening up a gash on his cheek. Both Link and Rinku were filled with utter hatred towards the tall man in front of them, his face beet red with anger.

"Murderer, am I?" King Sorius roared, causing everything in the room to shake, "Unfit for my crown, am I? You should be talking you insolent whelp! Do you not know of what happened to your own mother because you ran away?!?"

Link felt a surge of fear flash within his guardian at those words. "W-What have you done to my mother you bastard!?!?"

Without another word, the dark lord reached into the folds of his cloak and rummaged within a hidden pocket. After pulling out numerous amounts of daggers, he withdrew a tiny black bottle. It was made of midnight black glass, shining a deep sapphire blue in the tainted light. Link's brow furrowed in confusion at the sight of the little black bottle, unable to comprehend what was so important about it. His confusion was heightened even more when he felt Rinku's breathing stop suddenly, as if he was kicked in the stomach. Sorius smiled menacingly at his son's uneasiness, his yellow eyes narrowing into little slits.

"That's right, boy," he whispered, "A little bottle of poison… the poison _you_ left behind, might I add…"

Every part of Rinku's body trembled as he gazed upon the little bottle, his legs transforming to jelly. "I-I… h-how… w-wha-"

"It's funny," his father mused, turning the bottle in his hand, "How it just so happened that this very substance was found in a golden goblet… the _same_ golden goblet that your lovely little mother drank out of the night you left… and funnier still, she learned of your disappearance the moment the poison began working its evil magic on her. Coincidence, boy?"

"_Rinku…" _Link said, trying to calm his trembling guardian, _"Rinku… are you alright?"_

If Rinku had heard the hero, he gave no sign that he had. His great blue eyes were still transfixed on the horrible little bottle, his sweaty palms shaking uncontrollably. There was a sick feeling within his stomach as if he had been punched there a thousand times. His face was white as snow as his father continued in his reverie, savoring each and every word that he was now telling his son.

"Oh yes," the Usurper King continued, "Your mother died painfully both outwardly and inwardly. She was dying as painfully as can be, you see, and I suppose the loss of her son was all too much for my little concubine. Yes, I can see perfectly well how _I _am the only murder in our family…"

Rinku was shaking uncontrollably now, a great lump appearing in his throat. Though he did his best to hold them back, he burst into tears. He was a murderer. Worse, he was a murderer of his own kin. The poison was meant for his father, but his mother, an innocent bystander, had given up her life in his stead. He had cold- bloodedly murdered his own mother, a crime against all three goddesses themselves.

"_Rinku… Rinku!"_ Link shouted desperately, _"Rinku, please! Snap out of it! Rinku!!! RINKUUUUUUUU!!!!!"_

Rinku did not hear this as he heard the heavy footsteps of his father approach. He did not notice how the rank breath of his father was so close to his hear. He only heard what he spoke and what he said made his heart sink all the while more.

"I can easily have you executed, boy," King Sorius whispered, his voice laced with malice, "But that would be a waste. Join me, boy. Together we shall conquer all. You shall gain penance for the brutal murder of your mother. The goddesses themselves shall bow down and worship you! Join me and we will rule Hyrule as father and son…"

"_Don't listen to him!" _Link pleaded, _"Rinku, there are other ways to gain penance! Rinku, listen to me! DON'T!!!!"_

The Prince of Hyrule, still shaking with tears gazed up at his father and nodded. "I accept."

"_Rinku…"_

**

"Uh… hey, Ike? You alright up there?" Cameron asked uncertainly as he left the tainted graveyard.

Though the mercenary did his best to cover up the trembling in his voice, he was quite unable to and managed to send a small surge of fear into his guardian's heart. _"Y-Yes… I'm f-fine…"_

Cameron raised one of his hands, shielding his scarf covered face from the sun. "Where exactly are we supposed to go?"

"_Mount Smash,"_ Ike answered for the umpteenth time, _"If you want to be specific, we're supposed to look for the cave that will transport us to Smashville. Afterwards, we're supposed to scale Mount Smash and once we reach the top, we're supposed to receive instructions on what happens next…"_

Cameron nodded, still unable to understand just what the mercenary was talking about. They walked some more in utter silence, trying their best to keep in the shade as the sun was absolutely burning today. Ike shivered slightly as the sounds of the silent world were thrown into even greater notice while the two walked. He was used to the roaring of the laguz, the laughter of children, and even the sounds of battle. He had experienced a world like this once in his lifetime and he desperately wished to never have to enter a world of silence again. But with the deaths of practically everyone on the continent of Tellius, he was once again forced into this silent world and this time, there was no turning back.

A flash of gold in the distance caught Cameron's eye. His curiosity rose as a gleam of red joined it, then a flash of blue. Natural mercenary instinct overcoming him, he began dashing towards the glittering thing in the distance, the wind rustling his hair. As he neared the source of the glittering, his eyes widened in happiness and he practically drooled at the mouth.

Before him stood a great mountain of gold and jewels. It was over ten feet tall, seeming to touch the sky itself. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds decorated this like a great Christmas Tree. He could practically feel the rough edges of the precious coins and jewels between his rough fingers as he neared, almost being able to taste the delicious meat such wealth would buy.

Ike felt the surge of greed in his guardian, felt the rush of the natural mercenary instinct for gold. He had to stop him before it was too late. _"Cameron…"_

He was much too late. Cameron had dived headfirst into the mountain of gold. At the exact same time, three large shapes leaped from out of nowhere and surrounded the mountain of gold. Ike and Cameron both saw the markings all over their backs. They were face to face with three tiger laguz.

"_Argh! You touched their gold!" _Ike said angrily, _"No one has pissed off three tigers and survived!"_

Rather than fear, he felt a surge of pride in his guardian. A small smirk appeared on the young mercenary's face as he eyed each laguz one by one. He laughed when one of the tigers growled at him, showing off its white fangs.

"No problem!" he said, "I've got just the weapon for these idiots!"

Reaching into a hidden pocket, he drew out a small red dagger: a beast killer. Ike was impressed by his resourcefulness, yet also worried that his guardian might get a big head after he was done slaying the beasts. After all, there were all too many tales of great heroes falling at the hands of their enemies because they received inflated egos because of the great kills they made. And Ike knew his guardian's ego was already quite large.

He had lived for years in the midst of the laguz, facing off against at least ten at once and defeating them all with his trusty beast killing knife. But like all weapons, it would eventually shatter and be rendered unusable. He had no time to warn his young guardian of his worries as the mercenary let out a loud battle cry and leaped at his three foes.

**

Pikachu watched his guardian eat, unsure of whether or not he should be disgusted by her eating habits. She horked down the food at a lightning fast pace, sometimes even devouring the package in which it was contained. Bits of food and trash flew everywhere as she dug deeper and deeper in the knapsack. Likewise, he was also unsure if the boy who had carried this knapsack could be trusted.

He cast a small glance at the boy, who had long since closed his eyes. A snore escaped him as Pikana's wild eating frenzy continued. A small smirk appeared on the pokemon's face as countless numbers of aluminum cans flew at him, just barely missing his face. He was still smirking when he noticed an electric blue smoke slowly making its way out of the boy's ear.

The blue smoke curled for a second and seemed to sense his presence. Pikachu wafted his way out of Pikana's mind to meet this smoke, his little nose wiggling slightly. Slowly, the blue gas took shape and formed a pair of sky blue eyes. The rest of the smoke twisted and turned to form the body of a tall and imperious woman. Pikachu gave a small squeak of fear and delight as Samus Aran towered over him once again.

"_Samus!" _the pokemon sobbed, floating over to the bounty huntress, _"Samus! Samus!"_

A radiant smile broke out on Samus's face as she saw the little ball of yellow smoke in front of her. _"Pikachu! I knew she had to be your guardian, I just knew it!"_

For the first time in years, Pikachu laughed, _"Oh, you mean Pikana? Yeah, she's something else…"_

Samus raised a ghostly fist and playfully punched the little ball of yellow smoke. _"Uh oh! Is that a crush I am sensing?"_

If Pikachu had a body right now, he knew he would be blushing beet red. _"N-No! Of course not! I w- would never…"_

He was interrupted by another laugh as the bounty huntress heard his stuttering. _"I was just teasing you, little pokemon! Jeez, first Golfer and now you… what's happened to everyone's sense of humor these days…?"_

"_So how was your trip here?" _Pikachu asked, trying to change the subject, _"And how did you know we were here?"_

"_Rough,"_ Samus replied, gesturing to her guardian's broken arm, _"As you can see, we had some run ins with his pals in the beginning. After I… taught them a lesson, we started walking towards Mount Smash. When we passed by this place, I sensed some strange source of power radiating from it. I take it that it was you who released that electric shock and killed all the Primids?"_

Pikachu blushed again and looked down at the ground. _"Pikana did most of the work. She used her Bazookie, that's what she calls her bazooka, to kill most of them. I just stepped in when she got too tired to do anything…"_

"_Of course," _Samus agreed.

The two then proceeded to watch as Pikana continued to dig around in the backpack. After some digging, she emerged holding a rather large ham. How the ham fit into the backpack in the first place no one understood, but they had no time to figure it out as the Thunder Mistress reached into the pocket of her hoodie once again and pulled out, not Bazookie the Bazooka, but a small pocket knife.

Pikachu's brow furrowed in confusion. A mere pocket knife was not enough to cut an entire ham. He then gasped, floating back a few inches in surprise. The knife was growing, just like the strange metal tube. Longer and longer it grew until it soon gained more than one blade, plus a motor. The smell of motor oil filled the air as Pikana revved up the chainsaw that seemed to have magically appeared in her hands.

"HAHAHAHA!!!!" she cackled as she lowered the chainsaw towards the ham, "TAKE THAT YA HAM!!!! CHAINY PWNS ALL!!!!!"

Meat gristles and little flecks of blood flew everywhere as she proceeded to try to carefully slice the ham into pieces. Much to Samus's surprise, Golfer seemed absolutely oblivious to the loud motor of the chainsaw, merely turning in his sleep as the noise went on. As usual, Pikachu felt a surge of fear for his guardian's wild and crazy ways. Yet at the same time he felt his growing affection for her grow even more. Pikana, in her own wild and crazy ways, was a nice person. One merely needed to get past Bazookie and Chainy to discoverer that side of her.

Both guardians and Smashers were so wrapped up in their own thoughts that none of them noticed when a single black raven flew into the night, its ruby red eyes glinting in the light of the full moon.

**

Marth sighed. It was not supposed to happen this way. The country of Altea was a barren wasteland, a horrid reminder of his victory. And his failure.

He remembered as clearly as anyone how the great country had fallen, how his sister was killed trying to save it, how his wife died in his arms, how he received Falchion, the sword of light, and how he raised a great army to retake his kingdom. But the kingdom eventually fell again. And this time, it was lost forever.

"_Ellis… Sheeda…" _the fallen prince whispered, _"Forgive me… I failed you both…"_

He flew on for a few more hours, taking in the horrible sights of blood all over the ground and burned homes everywhere. He saw men laid out to die and women and children weeping. He wished nothing more than to descend and give comfort to these people, to assure them that he was here and everything would be alright. But fate was cruel to him. They would not see him if he came. And it was with a heavy heart that he followed the wind that blew him here and moved on.

He was blown into a place he recognized as Castle Altea. His old home. He had no time, however, to take in the familiar sights as he was forced through a crack in a window and into the all too familiar throne room. Upon seeing who was on the throne, he could not help but gasp.

A new man sat on the throne. His hair was fiery red in color, the color of his large and pudgy nose. In his right hand he carried a large turkey leg and out of this he took bites out of, allowing the horrible gravy to dribble down his chin. Marth looked on in disgust as he took in the appearance of this man. He was fat, no obese, in every way possible. His skin seemed too tight for his body as it seemed to cling onto him for dear life, threatening to burst at the seams any moment. His body hung off the great thrones in fat filled chunks, giving him the appearance of a particularly large walrus. Indeed, his great red moustache only added to this walrus like appearance and Marth could not help but feel quite sick to the stomach at the thought of how such a disgusting man dared sit on his throne.

A soldier knelt in front of the man, his face hidden within the visor of his helmet. From what Marth could see the soldier's hands were encased in brown leather gloves. Though covered from head to foot in shining armor, a Naginata, or Japanese polearm, was grasped in his hand. The long pole was made of ash wood, the curved blade shining silver in the faint light of the sun. As Marth gazed closer at the helmet of this soldier, he was just barely able to make out a few strands of dark, very dark, red hair.

"What is it, soldier?" the fat one demanded, tearing a large chunk out of the leg with his teeth, "How goes the search for my daughter?"

"It is fruitless, my lord," the soldier answered him, his voice extremely muffled by the helmet, "Your daughter seems to have disappeared off the face of this earth. The war against the neighboring country is not turning up anything either."

The one who sat on the throne, as Marth refused to acknowledge him as a king, slammed his hand down on the armrest. "Nonsense! My little wench of a daughter is out there somewhere, no doubt! Probably frolicking with those disgusting knights in shining armor again, hoping to improve her skill with whatever that silly weapon is called! I wouldn't be surprised if that goddamned country we're warring with right now brainwashed that girl into thinking that that stupid wichamacallit it an actual weapon!"

"It is a Naginata," the soldier told him, a hint of anger in his voice, "A powerful pole weapon that consists of-"

"I don't care!" the man bellowed, his many chins flapping this way and that, "I just want my little slip of a daughter back here!"

The soldier said nothing, merely bowing as he backed out of the throne room. The man on the throne began mumbling about how incompetent his soldiers were as he left. Marth felt a small tug on him that told him he must follow this strange soldier. After shooting one last disgusted glare at the man, he left.

He found the soldier outside a tent, laying down in a relaxed position. As Marth neared, he heard an audible snore sound from the helmet of the soldier. He thought it was strange that a soldier would sleep with his helmet on, but he thought no more of it as he soon found himself being drawn closer and closer to this soldier. With a great cry of surprise, he was snatched right out of thin air and pulled directly into the soldier's mind.

His thoughts were unusual for a man. Though the majority of his thoughts were dedicated to the field of battle and the thrill of a duel, he also saw galas and parties that he knew no man would ever enjoy attending. Here was an encyclopedic knowledge of every weapon ever seen in the Kingdom of Altea, yet there was also the ten most important rules of conduct for a woman. A small stab of fear found its way into Marth's heart as he soon reached a conclusion: his guardian was gay.

Marth felt a pang of guilt at his hasty conclusion. After all, it was many a time that he himself was accused of being gay based solely on his looks. He hated how people would jump to conclusions like that. Why should he become the thing he hated by accusing this man of being a homosexual? He instead decided to give him a chance and see what he was like before jumping to conclusions like that.

"_Erm… hello,"_ he greeted, unsure of how his new guardian would react.

The soldier gave a start of surprise at the sound of his voice, causing him to drop his weapon on the foot of a nearby squire. After a rather grumbled apology, the soldier's eyes darted back and forth. Marth did not dare make another sound, waiting for the solder to gather his wits.

"Who's there?" the soldier asked, gripping his Naginata, "Come out and fight like a man!"

Marth felt the soldier's grip tighten on his weapon, but he found it quite strange. The hand of the soldier felt much too delicate and soft to hold such a weapon. In addition, the soldier was gripping it too loosely for a man. Marth's suspicions of gayness in the soldier rose at this point, but he proceeded to try to strike up a conversation.

"_I am up here in your head," _he explained uncertainly.

The soldier yawned and leaned on his weapon, stretching his arms as he did so. "Yeah, I sort of figured that out…"

Marth tried again. _"Well… yes… my name is Prince Marth. I was once ruler of this great kingdom and-"_

He was interrupted by another yawn. "Right… prince guy who took back the kingdom. Well, the name's Nask. I'm a soldier here and a man with no big dreams whatsoever. Hopefully, we'll never have to see that battlefield. It'll give me time to catch up on some sleep…"  
It occurred to Marth that this man was rather laid back and lazy, the exact opposite of how a soldier was to behave. But just before he was able to voice his opinions, Nask had fallen asleep again. Incredulously, Marth proceeded to shift through Nask's dreams to try to find the source of his odd behavior. Just as he was about to find something worth looking at, a commanding voice shook Nask out of his dream- filled sleep.

"Get up, you lazy lout!" shouted a voice of someone obviously in command.

Marth felt Nask lazily open on eye as the shadow of a commanding officer loomed in front of him. What surprised him even more was the behavior of the young man towards his senior.

"Care to move?" he asked calmly, "You're blocking my sun…"

The guard's already scarlet face turned even redder at the soldier's disrespect. "Up and at 'em! We need more men on the fields and you're just lazing about back here! Chop, chop!"

Nask yawned, using his Naginata to stand up. "But you have… ten thousand soldiers out there…?"

"And like they always say, ten thousand and one is always better than ten thousand!" the senior officer concluded, "Now get out of here!"

"Jerk," Nask muttered under his breath as he slowly sauntered away, "If he tries that again, I'll-"

"_We should head out to battle," _Marth said quickly, trying to avoid a brawl, _"After all, commander's orders, right?"_

Nask snorted. "Commander? As in the fat guy that sits around all day eating turkey while everyone else out here is dying? Yeah… _real_ nice guy…"

Before Marth could answer, Nask gave a shout of surprise and ducked just as a throwing ax soared overhead, barely missing the top of his helmet. "Hey, watch i-"

"_Look out!"_ Marth yelled as he saw a steel sword flash through the air in their direction.

Nask barely had time to block the blow as another sword came at him, flashing white hot in the bright morning sun. He did a quick leg sweep, knocking one of his opponents off his feet. Marth looked on in horror as many more soldiers rushed at Nask, swinging their weapons to and fro.

He noticed how Nask had exceptional hand – eye coordination as he was able to block many of the blows that came his way and deal just as many back. But still their foes were stronger as one by one, a sword would find its way to Nask's armor, either denting or scratching the precious metal. Nask seemed inexperienced on the battle field as he kept flinching whenever he caught sight of blood. He also had a habit of a graceful and rather regal like manner, quite unusual in a man. All of these signs seemed to confirm Marth's suspicion as he watched his guardian battle. With every flinch at the sight of blood, another weapon found its way through Nask's defenses and onto his armor. It was not long until a sudden _crack!_ was heard, followed by a piercing shriek that sounded more womanly than manly.

The enemy soldier wrenched his lance out of Nask's arm, smiling menacingly as he saw the large red stain he created begin to spread up the young soldier's arm. Nask had only seconds to think up a plan as the lance returned for another blow. With a last ditch effort he raised his arm and caught the pole of the deadly weapon in a weak, but iron grip. Marth knew it was time for him to enter the fray, to once again use his legendary swordsmanship to possibly save the entire country. A flash of blinding pain met him as he closed his eyes and concentrated with all his might.

_Crunch!_ Marth let out a cry of fear as the flat of an ax met the arm that held the Naginata. He felt the precious bone underneath shatter under the weight of the heavy weapon as he quickly switched hands and came to meet the ax with the powerful ash wood pole. His other arm throbbed with pain as he was forced to dodge swing after swing. The body he was using, he noticed, also seemed a bit unfit for the battlefield. Delicate, almost…

He had no time to dwell on these mysteries as another enemy rushed at him, sword out and ready. Marth swung the Naginata with all his might, while dodging at the same time. A cry of pain was heard as the swordsman went down on his knees, blood dripping from a slit throat. Despite his horror in being forced to spill blood yet again, Marth smiled. He remembered so well the thrill of the battlefield. How the smallest mistake could cost you your own life and how there was danger at every turn.

Time passed quickly as the battle wore on, as more blood painted the fields of Altea. Marth ignored the ringing in his ears and the painful throbbing of Nask's broken arm as he hacked and slashed all over. Though he was victorious in all those who came to meet him in battle, he would just barely win out every time. The one thing that annoyed him the most was just how delicate and unfit for battle the body he inhabited seemed to be. Indeed, he noticed that the armor was not put on properly, as if the soldier had hurried while putting it on. What's more, the armor was well polished and new, even though he could tell the armor was years upon years old. No soldier cared enough about his armor to polish and clean it so well before a battle.

It seemed like years before the call of a trumpet sounded far away. The enemy troops stopped fighting long enough to listen one before turning tail and running away. While some soldiers chose to give chase to the fleeing foes, Marth was among those who collapsed in exhaustion.

"_You did good out there,"_ the voice of Nask told him with admiration evident in it, _"Wish I could fight like that…"_

Marth found it strange how Nask still kept his voice muffled, even inside his mind. "Forgive me. I have received a great many wounds for your body. I am in need of treatment immediately…"

One of the soldiers, a man about thirty took off his helmet and pointed to a white tent in the distance. "Medical tent's over there, mister. Get y'er wounds treated."

"Thank you," Marth said with a nod.

But as he turned and walked towards the tent, a small tug in the back of his mind signified that Nask did not wish to go into the tent. Confused, Marth sent a thought up to the young soldier, asking why he should not go get treated. Already many of the soldiers were staring at the gaping wounds that covered Nask's body, wondering how on earth one could gain so many wounds and survive.

"_I can't go into the med tent,"_ Nask said firmly, _"Head over to my tent. I can treat myself."_

Marth looked down at the many wounds he received. "Are you sure? These look quite deep. If treated incorrectly…"

"_I know what I'm doing," _Nask reassured him, _"But just head to my tent… there's something I'll have to show you…"_

Curiosity rose in the mind of the Prince of Altea at this request, but he walked into a nearby tent nonetheless. The inside of the tent was just like any other soldier's. simple bed, white bed sheets, a knapsack off to the side, and a little wooden table which held a lantern. But there was one item that caught his eye, causing him to jump slightly. What startled him so much was a music box. But it was unlike any music box he had seen. Painted snow white, it possessed a border of pure gold and upon its lid a pure red rose was painted. Precious gems decorated its sides and Marth saw a tiny glimmer next to it, recognizing it as a golden key.

"_My mother's," _Nask explained, _"That's the one thing I have to remember her by… she died long ago…"_

Marth noticed a mirror and a first aid kit on the bed. He heard a nervous sigh escape the mouth of his guardian as he walked over and sat down on the bed, reaching up to take off his helmet. After fumbling a bit with the straps, he proceeded to lift it off.

"So what was it you wanted to show me?" he asked, sighing in relief as the stuffy piece of armor was removed from him.

"_Prince Marth, I haven't been exactly honest with you…"_ Nask murmured, _"You see, I'm-"_

Nask was interrupted by a gasp as Marth picked up the mirror and gazed into it. Marth's hands trembled in fear as he gazed open mouthed at his guardian's reflection, unable to believe his eyes. When he finally found his voice, it came out cracked and full of disbelief.

"N-Nask… y-you're… you're a… a…"

"_Yes,"_ Nask said gloomily, voice no longer muffled, _"My true name is Naskara. I am indeed a girl…"_

**

Sunlight. That was the first thing he saw as he emerged from the secret grotto and out into the daylight. For just a moment he was blinded by the bright light, a light that he had not seen since the day he turned thirteen. It was also the day when he began his training as a Disciple of Wisdom.

"Argh!" Cimar growled, shielding his eyes form the blinding light, "Curse this sun! Ow!"

"_Your eyes have not adjusted yet, Cimar,"_ Zelda told him soothingly, _"Just give yourself some time and soon you'll be able to see miles upon miles around."_

True to her word, Zelda soon sensed Cimar's eyes adjusting to the bright upper world as he lowered his arm. The fields of Hyrule reeked with the acrid stench of blood and death, causing hr guardian to gag on the horrid stench. Dropping his books, Cimar took up his collar and placed it over his nose, preferring to breathe in the scent of musty book rather than the horrible stench of Hyrule field.

"That's another thing I don't understand," he said, gesturing to the secret grotto they had just come out of, "How does simply stepping on a platform allow you to float upwards?"

"_Perhaps it is the blessings of the goddesses?"_ Zelda suggested, though she knew he would dismiss this answer, as he did to all the other answers relating to the goddesses and their miracles.

"No, no, that's not it," he said, confirming her suspicions, "Not everything in this world could possibly be because of some phenomena created by the goddesses. After all, was it not long ago that we discovered the ever so interesting theory of diversity? And of course, we cannot forget the forces of gravity. It is not by the will of the three goddesses to things eventually go down when they go up, but by the force of gravity pulling down on the object. It then accelerates down to the earth at a pace of-"

Zelda could not help but chuckle a little as her guardian's explanation went on. During their wandering through the tunnels, the princess had noticed that though her guardian possessed a vast amount of knowledge, it came at a great price. He was too technical, too narrow- minded when it came to other worldly possibilities. Though she understood that science could solve many things, it couldn't solve everything. He even once dismissed the idea that fate played out the way the goddesses willed it.

"Though it may be true that a small part of fate is decided by the goddesses," he had said, "Fate is also decided by the choices we make as a person. If we wanted to kill someone and did it anyways, I'm pretty sure the goddesses didn't will anyone to get killed before their time!"

"And that is why chickens cannot fly," Cimar concluded, smiling triumphantly.

Zelda was unable to hold back her laughter, much to the confusion of her guardian. _"Cimar, your mind is so full of ideas and facts! Whatever happened to opinion and those fun little teachings about how when it rained it meant the goddesses were crying?"_

"That is another wrong fact," Cimar said automatically, "You see, water in a puddle on the ground goes through a process called evaporations, which then leads to-"

He was interrupted by the wild call of trumpets. Neither Zelda nor Cimar had noticed that they were walking up a hill while they were talking. Now, gazing over this hill, they were able to see quite clearly Hyrule Castle in the distance, sparkling pure white in the bright sunlight. The golden flash of the trumpets met them as the doors of the balcony facing castle town opened up.

Using Cimar's naturally sharp eyesight, Zelda was just barely able to make out a lone figure coming out on the balcony. The figure was large in stature, dressed all in black. Even from a distance Zelda felt a shiver run down her spine as the figure seemed dark and menacing. Cimar seemed to know who this figure was as his breath stopped short and a flash anger rose within him, startling the princess.

"_Who is that?"_ Zelda asked, squinting harder to try to get a better look at the figure.

Cimar gritted his teeth, his hands curling into fists. "Sorius, the Usurper King. He was the one who took your father's throne for his own while your father was weak and ailing. He claims to be the greatest king in the history of Hyrule, but he is as ruthless and as cruel as can be. He is the devil himself in human form."

As Zelda turned her attention back to the balcony, she was able to make out another figure coming out. This figure was a great deal shorter than Sorius, about the size of a typical adolescent. Unlike his father, he wore a dark green tunic and a floppy hat, similar to the outfit Link had worn long ago. Unlike Link's, however, this outfit was dark enough to almost seem black, though not quite. She saw his golden hair flash in the sun and for the briefest moment, she also felt a surge of raw power, a power she had not felt in what seemed like forever.

"_Link…"_ she whispered, bringing up her hand to touch her heart, _"Link is in there somewhere…"_

It was then that she noticed that Cimar was gaping at the balcony, his eyes seeming to pop out of his head. He blinked thrice before coming to his senses, panting as if he had just ran ten miles.

"P-Prince Rinku…" he gasped, still unable to take his eyes off the balcony, "The prince… he… he's returned…?"

"_Prince Rinku? Didn't you say earlier he hated his father and disappeared a few months ago?"_

Cimar nodded, a thick line of sweat forming on his brow. "He did. I saw him myself as he fled into the forest. Disciples in Training were allowed to venture out at night from time to time to learn how to move in the shadows. I watched from the shadows as the prince fled in the night, never looking back. He was disguising himself on the way, cutting his hair so that it was extremely uneven and cutting his face to give himself scars. Curiosity got the better of me and I chose to leave the group I was with and followed him. He eventually got lost in the woods and collapsed from exhaustion. It was then that I came out and gave him some of the food and water from my pack. When I asked where he was going, he told me that he was in search of the Warriors of Courage. Being taught in the ways of the forest, I drew him a map leading to their camp. He dashed away after thanking me and I thought I would never see him again… but why would he return, to his father of all people? What's more, why was he standing by his side? These things just don't make any sense…"

"_Perhaps we should demand an audience with him," _Zelda suggested, _"After all, as king, Sorius will have to grant audience when one requests it, right?"_

Cimar shook his head. "I wish. But Sorius isn't exactly what you would call a good king… we'll have to break in and ask the prince ourselves if we wish to ask him what's going on."

Zelda bit her lip at the thought of having to break into her own castle, but the thought of Link, stuck somewhere within the castle, possibly within Rinku himself helped her decide her choice. _"Alright. What's the plan?"_

Cimar got down on his knees and began to sketch diagrams in the soft dirt using one finger. Many of them were complicated and confusing, but Zelda recognized some as the layout of Hyrule castle. How her guardian knew of the layout she would never know, but it fascinated her to see him draw like this. He drew arrows and calculations as well and when he was finished, he smiled proudly at his work.

"What we must do," he said, "Is use the sewage passage in Telma's Bar, point A, to enter the sewers of Hyrule castle and navigate our way through. Rinku's room, point B, is our main goal and with the exact calculations, we should end up right underneath where his bed would be. One by one, we can pry the boards loose from the floor and enter point B within a few hours. Rinku should be at his study desk at this time, which is traditional for all royals, and we should give him a good shock, but a pleasant surprise of he trusts us. He should recognize me from the night a long time ago. In addition, if we need a quick escape, we can easily use the window facing outwards and if we jump at an exact 67 degree angle, we should land quite safely on the grass rather than the moat… oh, and if we can't reach the window, there's always-"

"_Or,"_ Zelda said, holding back a chuckle, _"Or we could just simply climb through the window…"_

Cimar looked towards Hyrule castle, where the window to Rinku's room could easily be seen from that view. Lo and behold, there was a great set of vines growing up to the window and even a great tree that loomed over it. He felt a light blush rise up his cheeks as he saw how he had over- thought everything in his plan, rather than going the simple way. Zelda noticed that Cimar's habit of over- thinking was also a small flaw as a result of his vast expanse of knowledge. She let out a small giggle as her guardian scuffed up his diagrams.

"Right, well… we can go with that too," he said, still blushing.

"_To Hyrule Castle then?"_ the princess asked, trying to keep his mind from dwelling on his little mistake.

"To Hyrule Castle," Cimar agreed.

Without another word he hoisted his knapsack on his back and began the long walk to the gleaming castle in the distance.

**

Mah gritted her teeth as she tried to calculate the exact angle she needed for the oar to strike the one weak spot on the cloud- like enemy before her: the battery on its back. She groaned in frustration as the Spaak glided out of the way just in time and sent another ball of electricity hurtling at her. She let out a shrill scream as the oar burst into flames, almost losing her balance as a Spaak came charging at her.

"_Watch out, Mah!"_ Yoshi cried out as a Spaak came charging at her as she dunked the flaming paddle in the water.

"Where?!?" she asked frantically, looking around too late.

The Spaak smacked right into her, sending her flying towards a blast of electricity that another Spaak released. Pure pain coursed through her veins as she was hit, making her hair stand on end. Mah swung frantically at her foes as they closed in, all serenity gone from her. Yoshi took over for her just as a group of three Spaaks came charging at them, their evil electrical blasts filling the air with the sounds of crackling and the stench of something burning.

Yoshi rubbed his hands together and blasted a few eggs at the Spaak, using his amazing jumping power to dodge a few electrical orbs in the process. He watched in horror as a particularly large blast of electricity hit their box of food, causing it to burst into flames.

"_Oh, how are we going to get more food now!?!?"_ Mah wailed in anguish, _"And it made SUCH a mess!"_

Before Yoshi could tell Mah about how he thought it wasn't a good idea to be thinking about food in a situation like this, he was forced to dodge yet another blast of electricity. Though he retaliated with his trademark exploding eggs, he couldn't help but notice how tired he was getting. He was used to being able to last hours in Brawls, never tiring, not even when the timer reached 8 hours. The concept of energy was a new thing to him and it was how quickly humans tired out that scared him the most.

"_We won't make it!"_ Mah shouted as another electrical sphere set the sail on fire, _"It'll take a miracle to save us!"  
_Though the little green dinosaur wanted so desperately to tell her everything was going to be alright, he knew that she was right. Even if they were able to defeat the powerful cloud- like enemies, they would surely either drown or starve to death. His energy supply was almost exhausted now, causing him to collapse to his knees. He gazed up at the horrible enemies that surrounded him, his vision fading.

_Bang!_ A great black ball appeared out of nowhere and smacked right into one of the Spaaks, sending it careening off into space. _Bang!_ Another one followed it, this time hitting two at once. The two Spaaks exploded into Shadow Bugs, melting away as another cannonball took one of its brethren. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

The air was soon alive with the sounds of gunshots as cannonball after cannonball flew through the air, taking down at least two Spaaks at a time. Yoshi cowered beneath the burning sail, his every muscle shaking with nervous tension.

"_What are those sounds?" _ his guardian asked nervously, _"What's going on? Are we dead yet?"_

Yoshi opened one eye, watching as the final Spaak went down under the weight of a powerful cannonball. He saw a rope ladder fall down in front of him. He hesitated, unsure of whether or not to take it.

"_Come on!"_ Mah said excitedly, _"This ship saved us, didn't it? It has to be our ally if it saved us! Besides, we should at least go up there and thank the crew!"  
_"I don't know, Mah…" Yoshi said, still unsure, "Just because the crew on here helped us out doesn't mean that they're… nice…"

"_It's not like we have anything else to lose…"_

Yoshi gazed forlornly at the burned supplies and heaved a deep sigh. Taking the rope ladder between his fingers, he began to make the long climb up the side of the great ship. Mah looked around as Yoshi climbed, taking in the outside of the ship. She frowned slightly at the un- scrubbed wooden shell, slightly disgusted by the copious amounts of redness that covered it.

"_Probably just came back from a paint job," _she said dismissively, _"After all, there's no way that red stuff is blood… right?"_

Yoshi had not the heart to reprimand her as he continued to climb. They were about a yard from the main deck now, the sun occasionally getting in the way of the little green dinosaur. As he continued to climb up the side, Mah could not help but notice a single name written in gold lettering on the ship. Being a former slave, she had never been taught her alphabet, let alone to read.

"_Yoshi, what's that?"_ she asked, _"That gold lettering thing…"_

Yoshi took one look at the lettering and frowned. "It's the name of the ship… but it's such an unusual name…"

"_What is it? It can't be that bad, could it?"_

Yoshi shrugged. "It's not bad but… it's unusual…"

"_The ships name… what is it?"_

Yoshi grabbed the railings of the deck and heaved himself up, answering her as he did so. "The name of the ship is…_The Eye of the Apocalypse_ …"

**

"_Do you hear that?"_ Pit asked.

"Hm?" Psyche answered, refusing to get up, "Hear what? Your non stop whining?"

"_No!"_ Pit said, his annoyance getting the better of him, _"Although I would stop 'whining' less as soon as you suck it up and actually make an effort to improve your fighting skill instead of lazing about like you own the place!"_

"I'll _train_ when _you_ stop whining!" Psyche retorted, shooting wide awake, "And don't even get me started on how annoying it is to be _trying_ to sleep, but to have to listen to your complaining and your 'reviewing of army protocol'…"

"_Well, excuuuse me for wanting to stay in shape,"_ the angel snapped back.

Psyche threw up her thin arms in frustration. "I'll never get you! How can _anyone_ spend all their days worrying about tomorrow and actually have a life!?"

In her mind, Pit did a similar movement. _"I'll never get YOU! How can anyone be this laid back?!?"_

"Oh, so I'm not lazy, I'm laid back?" Psyche asked with a smirk, "You're sweet…"

Before Pit could counter, he was interrupted by the call of what seemed like a thousand trumpets in the distance. He saw his guardian's face whiten at the sound, her hands trembling. Curiosity overcame annoyance and anger as he formed a question that had been nagging at him the whole time she was sleeping.

"_What do those mean?" _

Psyche took a deep, shuddering breath. "Three short blasts and one long blast… followed by a bunch of short notes… someone's being hanged today…"

Pit bit his bottom lip at the news. _"We need to help them…"_

Psyche frowned at his sudden change in behavior. "Whatever happened to 'You're wasting time!'?"

"_This is different now," _Pit admitted, _"I just get the feeling that this is something we can't pass over…"_

"You're the boss," the girl muttered, tucking the diary under her arm, "You're the boss…"

**

"No, no," Fox insisted, "It went me, then Toon Link, then you."

"I insist otherwise!" the Prince of Phrae retorted, "It went me, then you, then Toon Link!"

"You've both got it wrong!" Kirby piped up, "It went Luigi, then Falco, then Fox, and _then_ Roy!"

"No, I say I got it right!" Fox said, "I have the best memory out of everyone here!"

"Oh yeah?" Sonic asked, glaring at the cloud of orange gas, "If you're so good at remembering things, when was the last time I walked?"

"You never walk," Fox answered, "Apparently, it makes you too slow."

While Sonic grumbled, Captain Falcon chose to voice his opinion. "I don't know about you guys, but I _do_ know I was one of the last to go down fighting!"

"Last my eye," Ganondorf shouted at him, "You were the first idiot to go up there and try to PAWNCH Tabuu!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP!?!?!?" the a new voice bellowed, his voice filled to the brim with anger and frustration.

For a few moments, his fellow Smashers said nothing. Then, they resumed arguing again. The Smasher sighed as they continued to bicker. It had never been like this on his team.

He had once been a feared space pilot, striking fear into the hearts of all who knew his name. Very few times he had been defeated and it was all because of the person he had come to call his enemy. There were many times when he swore revenge against him, but though he tried time and time again, he would never succeed.

Not anymore. Once he was freed, his first goal was to get revenge on his enemy, to tear him limb from limb for the wrongs against him. He was thirsty, thirsty for the blood of his enemy.

Lightning flashed across the sky. It was then that he knew what was happening, even before the great gust of wind swept him up and hurled his jar against the wall. For a brief moment, he hovered over the shattered remains of his container, smirking as the other Smashers voiced their protests. It was his turn.

"_Seeya later, suckers!"_ he shouted happily, disappearing into the midnight black sky.

There was a full moon out tonight. His very being tingled with delight as he neared the great white orb in the sky. This was as close as he had ever been to the world outside of this world in over a hundred years. At that moment, he did the one thing he could do in this grey cloud that was now his form.

He howled.


	10. Heather

Heather Wolfon, Scion of Rage

**Yay! Yay! Yay! *jumps up and down* A new chapter has arrived! **

**I shall now hand this little party over to Mr. Disclaimer! The epicness is killing meh!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the SSB series, Golfer, Pikana, Mah, Cameron, Rinku, Cimar, Nask, Heather, or Austin. They all own themselves. (Or at least I **_**think**_** Austin does…)**

"_Tiger at twelve o clock!"_ Ike yelled, causing his guardian to give a start of surprise.

Gripping his beast killer knife as hard as he could, Cameron swung it in a low arch and caught the fast approaching tiger on its throat, sending it hurtling towards the large pile of gold it so jealously guarded. Though Ike was slightly impressed by his skill with the dagger, he was still concerned for what currently occupied the thoughts of his young guardian. Gold, mountains and mountains of gold filled his thoughts.

Cameron swung his right arm behind him, catching a second tiger laguz in the stomach as it approached from behind. Gritting his teeth, he reached out with his leg and stomped on his foe's tail as the beast reeled back to counter. With a howl of pain the tiger threw back its neck, rendering its throat vulnerable. A lightning fast slash across the vulnerable throat was all it took to send the tiger to the ground where it never opened its eyes again.

"Two down," the young mercenary panted, "One to go…"

He was answered by a tremendous roar that sent shivers down both his and Ike's spines. From out of nowhere a tiger leaped out, its white fangs flashing menacingly in the afternoon sun. by natural instinct, Cameron rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the fangs, but not fast enough to dodge the powerful tail as it came and whacked him right in the face. Ike felt the horrid pain run right sear across his guardian's cheek as a red hot streak appeared where the tail had hit him.

Recoiling slightly from the force of the blow, the tiger leaped again, its deadly claws aimed right for the throat of the dazed guardian. Cameron's vision swam as he weakly lifted his knife, a last ditch effort to avoid death. Fear bubbled up from deep within Ike, his eyes widened in horror at the oncoming claws and fangs. With a cry of terror, he tried desperately to take control of his guardian, but he was too late. The tiger slammed into Cameron's arm with enough force to sink a thousand ships. Cameron spun the dagger around so the powerful laguz landed right on its point.

A deep gash was created right above the beast's eye. A howl of pain and mourning escaped it as it collapsed and tried desperately to crawl away. Ike heaved a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Cameron had a fire within him, burning as bright as day. The fire sang through his veins, filling his mouth with the taste of blood. Ike knew this feeling, having experienced it before. It was a berserker rage, a rage so powerful it was deadly to the one it thrust itself upon. When under such a rage, the victim's speed and fighting prowess increased ten fold, but it was at the price of no reason and mercy within the victim's mind.

It was at that moment Ike looked up and saw a horrible thought forming in his guardian's head. This thought, fueled by the berserker rage, was enough to make even the Hero of Crimea sick to the stomach.

"_Cam, don't!"_ he ordered, trying desperately to bring his guardian back to his senses, _"Don't do it!"_

His guardian did not hear him. Rushing upon his fallen foe, Cameron raised the powerful beast killing dagger and brought it whistling downwards, slicing the belly of the tiger wide open. The laguz, too weak to do a thing, only yelped in pain as the mercenary proceeded to shoving his hand deep within the gash and ripping out its intestines. Ike watched in disgust and horror as Cameron's hand went in and out of the gash, tearing up organs and so many other things Ike never wanted to see again. He knew this was all too much, and he felt a lump form in his throat as he watched the tiger give one final howl of pain and closed its eyes forever. Even when it died, the berserker rage was still upon Cameron, his eyes as bright as twin flames.

"_C-Cam…"_ Ike choked, _"Cam… that's enough…"_

His guardian did not heed him, still tearing up the tiger's insides. Ike took a deep breath and tried again.

"_Cam…"  
_He sensed reason coming back, but not enough to cause his young guardian to see the horrid crime against nature he was committing. After taking another shaky breath, Ike summoned all his strength and shouted as loud as his ghostly lungs would allow him to shout.

"_CAM!"_

"Huh?" Cameron asked, blinking slightly and looking around, "Wuzzgoingon?"

In spite of himself, Ike smiled, but his voice was choked with tears. _"I'll tell you what's going on… look down."_

Raising a single eyebrow in confusion, the mercenary looked down, taking in his bloodied hands and the shattered dagger. His eyes then traveled to the mangled body of the tiger laguz and the internal organs of this tiger scattered about. To Ike's surprise, he shrugged.

"Yeah, so I beat 'em. Anything else you'd like to add?" he asked calmly.

"_Beat them?"_ Ike asked, his voice shaking slightly with anger, _"You MANGLED them! How can you remain so… so calm after you basically murdered the people you were meant to live in harmony with?"_

Cameron tossed aside the shattered remains of the beast killing dagger, a sigh escaping him as he did so. "Listen, I don't know about what it was like when you were still around here, but things have changed. Not long after the Great War of Subspace, the laguz were rounded up by Tabuu and destroyed. Those of us beorc who survived the war were given a choice: to either become mercenaries and help him when we're needed or to die. Most of us chose to become mercenaries. Either way, a ton of us died because most of us couldn't handle fighting against laguz… all the bloodshed, you just sorta get used to it…"

Before Ike could answer, another growl interrupted him. Cameron whirled around, Sigmund drawn and flashing, expecting to be face to face with yet another powerful laguz tiger. Instead, his eyes met those of a rather scrawny cat, crouched and ready to pounce. Unlike most other laguz cats this cat was sky blue in color compared to the yellow of the other cats. A growl escaped the beast as it crouched lower, preparing its powerful body for a pounce. Ike recognized this cat immediately: it was Ranulf, right hand to The Lion King of Gallia.

Ike gave a joyful shout as he looked upon his old ally, memories flooding his mind. But through the thick mist of these memories, the former mercenary could see very clearly something was wrong. He didn't exactly know what, but there was definitely something wrong with the blue cat before him.

"_Don't attack him!"_ Ike ordered, _"He's an old pal of mine!"_

"Whatever you say," Cameron said with a small shrug. Turning to Ranulf he put on a wide smile and said, "Hey, um…"

"_Ranulf,"_ Ike said patiently.

"Ranulf," he repeated, "I'm a pal of Ike's! Maybe you know him?"

Ranulf did not answer, merely crouching lower, his eyes narrowed. A threatening growl escaped the throat of the blue cat, causing the ground to tremble ever so slightly. Both guardian and Smasher took that to mean that Ranulf had no idea what they were talking about. Cameron smirked and sheathed the Rapier.

"_Cameron…"_ Ike warned.

"What?" he asked rather pompously, "He's just a _cat_! Let's not forget that I was single handedly able to beat three tigers!"

"_When you had that dagger of yours," _Ike pointed out, _"But it broke, remember?"_

"Either way, he's _still_ a cat!" Cameron answered, "C'mere kitty, kitty, kitty…"

With a roar loud enough to deafen anyone who heard it, Ranulf pounced right on the mercenary with lightning speed, sinking his claws into Cameron's shoulders. Cameron let out a shout of surprise and pain as he staggered back, Ranulf still clinging onto him. When he tried to reach for Sigmund, Ranulf's tail lashed out and sent the Rapier hurtling in a random direction. Crimson red blood gushed out of the three gashes created by Ranulf's claws on each of Cameron's shoulders as he desperately struggled to fling off the powerful blue cat.

"Bad kitty! Bad kitty!" he shouted, trying his best to wrench himself free of the painful grasp.

Ranulf only let out a growl and squeezed harder, snapping at the mercenary's face with his teeth. Ike felt his guardian's unbearable pain as well, unable to keep himself from collapsing. As he did so, he was able to catch a glimpse of Ranulf's eyes. A spark was there that had never been there before. It was as if a dark curtain and fallen over the eyes of his old friend, replaced by nothing more than sheer blackness and a crazed, maniacal spark. The spark sent chills down Ike's spine, fear surrounding his heart. He had seen this spark in many other laguz long ago and he had hoped with all his heart that he would never see it again.

The maniacal spark that had left its mark upon his old ally was the mark of the Feral Ones. During the Mad King's War, they were all formidable foes as they were all laguz who were forced fed a drug that enhanced their fighting ability ten fold. But it came at a horrible price as any laguz who were fed this drug also lost their minds, eliminating all knowledge of who they were and whether the person they fought was a friend or a foe. As if that was not enough, the powerful Feral Drug also greatly shortened the lifespan of a laguz, who was capable of living up to hundreds of years. It was a truly cruel thing to do and it saddened Ike greatly to see that his friend had fallen victim to the horrible drug.

Ranulf roared once more and tore at his victim's throat, intending to draw blood. But Cameron grabbed his paw in an iron tight grip and twisted it out of the way just in time. The two were locked in combat, with Ranulf flailing about, looking for an opening to Cameron's throat. Meanwhile, Ike's guardian had switched to defense, blocking all of the cat's advances to his vulnerable throat. But Ike could sense that he was tiring, his blocks weakening under Ranulf's unwavering blows. Ike closed his eyes and concentrated, guilt surging forward within him as he approached the battle he knew was to come.

"_Forgive me, Ranulf…"_

"_Y-You're a… you're a…"_

"We've been over this already, Marth. Yes, I am a girl…" Nask sighed, gently rubbing an arm wound with peroxide.

"_Y-You're a girl…"_ Marth repeated, _"And you're… you're FIGHTING in this… war…"_

"That is correct," Nask answered, "While my step father sits around all day in that castle of his, there's a war brewing. A from a place somewhere far away wishes to rule the entire world. One by one, he has conquered the continents and one by one, he has taken the lives of each and every citizen who dares defy him. Step Father may cower behind his walls of stone, but I refuse to. I intend to fight until either Altea is liberated or I die trying."

"_You're quite different from the Nask I first met,"_ Marth said in slight awe.

A smile appeared on the young woman's face as she struggled to tie up her long, deep red hair into a ponytail with only one hand. "I had to disguise myself as efficiently as possible, which means disguising my personality as well…"

Before Marth could respond, a sudden shout outside captured his attention. Nask jumped up from her bed and placed it on her head. Ripping open the curtain to her tent, she dashed out and looked around, trying to discern the cause of the noise. What met her eyes was smoke, dark and grey. The horrible substance stung her throat, causing her to cough. Marth tried his best to squint through the smoke, but he was unable to discern anything more than a few blotched shapes. Soldiers and doctors alike ran about, trying to calm down their horses and saving medical supplies.

"What's going on?" Nask asked a passing soldier, muffling her voice as she did so.

The soldier stopped in his tracks and when he spoke, he spoke slowly, as if he was addressing a five year old. "There is a fire in the camp. We have to move everything."

Nask failed to suppress a groan. "Do we have to?"

By that time, the soldier had already left. Grumbling slightly about incompetent guards, Nask proceeded to pack up her tent, a hard task since one of her arms was broken. Just as she was folding up the heavy cloth, she felt a strange whoosh behind her, as if a great wind had suddenly come around and blown its powerful gusts. Both hers and Marth's senses were on high alert as they whirled around, but whatever had made the gust of wind appear was not to be seen. Confusion rose up in Marth as he scanned the area, searching for the strange source of wind.

Suddenly, there was a tremendous _rip!_ as the strong leather straps that held Nask's helmet upon her head snapped. Whirling around, Nask only had time to lay a hand on her Nanginata before a powerful blow to the back of her head knocked her senseless.

The scenery went by so fast that Marth was just barely able to tell what was going on through sight alone. He felt Nask's too frail for war body being heaved up by two muscular and hairy arms. He felt her being jostled about as she was suddenly draped over a tall, hairy animal. This animal smelled of wet hay and manure, a stench so strong it caused Marth to gag slightly in disgust. It was not long until he felt his guardian's body being jostled again, this time at a much faster pace. Horse hooves thundered upon the road on which they traveled as Marth and Nask were dragged away to the great unknown.

"Almost there, Mah!" Yoshi grunted, his palms drenched in sweat.

He felt a surge of fear as his guardian looked about, taking in how high up they were above the water. Indeed, the ship was so large that if Yoshi should slip, they would both go tumbling to their deaths. Yoshi felt Mah's vision swim before her eyes as she looked down, his own vision swimming at the same time. But the little green dinosaur gritted his teeth and continued the exhausting climb, trying his best to ignore the painful blisters that had erupted between his fingers.

"_Are we almost there?"_ Mah groaned, _"I could use a good meal and maybe a nice hot shower right about now…"_

"I don't think there's going to be any showers… or hot meals on this ship," Yoshi told her gently, "Although you can't go wrong with a nice seafood buffet!"

Yoshi's eyes widened in happiness as he saw the railing only centimeters out of his line of reach. Stretching out his hand as far as he could, he grasped the rather grimy metal railing and heaved himself up, almost slipping in the process. Mah gasped in surprise at the sudden lurch as Yoshi almost slipped, but sighed in relief when she saw that he had managed to grab the railing with his other hand. Yoshi hoisted himself up and over the railing and lay there, panting, on the solid oak deck.

Immediately, he saw a great many bright flashes through the air as what seemed like a thousand metal sticks were waved through the air. When his vision adjusted, Yoshi shouted in surprise. Thirty steel swords were pointed at him, shining menacingly in the bright sunlight. These thirty swords were tightly held by members of the crew of the ship. A pirate crew.

Most of the crew was your atypical pirate crew, complete with eye patches and wooden legs. Many of them wore grimy red and white stripe shirts and ripped white shorts, so dirty they had turned black. All thirty of them were missing at least three teeth each and their body odor was so rank, even while in spirit form it caused Mah to recoil. Yoshi's eyes watered from the horrid smell, his lungs threatening to jump out any time and run away. All of them glared menacingly at their young visitor, showing their disgusting teeth.

"_Maybe they're nicer than they look?"_ Mah asked optimistically.

Footsteps approached them at her words, large and heavy footsteps. Mah and Yoshi both looked up at the source of the noise, watching with slight interest as the thirty pirates parted to make way for the newcomer. Now this newcomer was nothing like the pirates.

Tall and strong he was, with a clear face and dark eyes. He was dressed with authority, as clean and crisp as could be. He wore a clean red coat, nicely washed blue jeans, and a pure white cotton shirt, his black hair blowing in the wind. A gunblade topped of this look and as he looked over them, Yoshi and Mah could not help but feel a tiny surge of respect for him. He seemed awfully young to be the captain of this pirate crew and when he spoke, his voice confirmed their suspicions.

"Is this the girl we just saved?" he asked, his voice gruff and commanding.

"Yessir!" one of his crew answered, "Climbed up 'ere like it was nothin' the lass did! Brave and not too bad of face too!"

"Here, here!" his fellows chorused, "The lass be a brave one!"  
The captain of the ship gave a rather absent minded nod before turning back to his guests. "Well, if you're going to stay aboard this ship, you mind as well get to know everyone. Starting with me. My name is Captain Squall. Welcome aboard the _Eye of the Apocalypse_. Please follow all the rules and _try_ not to drown."

"AHHH!"

Psyche threw out her arms just in time to catch herself as she fell, Pit's bow cutting her hand a bit as she did so. She had been running a long while and this wasn't the first puddle of water she had slipped on. Dirty water flew out in all directions as she landed, drenching both the young guardian and everything around her in a wide circle.

"_Whoa! Are you o-"_ Pit caught himself just in time, _"I mean… watch what you're doing!"_

Psyche sputtered slightly, spitting out the disgusting liquid. "Excuse me! Try running as fast as you possibly can to _try_ to stop some hanging only to slip in some random puddle of water! I'm pretty sure I have a good excuse for getting your royal arseness a _bit_ wet!"

"_Either way, are you- is the diary still dry?"_

Psyche checked the makeshift bag she had made using extremely dirty curtains and copious amounts of staples. "All good!"

A single trumpet note, loud and sweet sounded in the distance. Pit's heart raced in fear at the sound of that note. If they were delayed any more, they would be too late to save the one being hanged. Something deep within the angel told him that it was of the utmost importance that he saved this criminal and he was determined not to fail.

"_Come on!"_ he shouted, _"Didn't you say one long trumpet blast means the condemned is supposed to admit all their sins or something?"_

He was answered with the sounds of Psyche's feet pounding on the stone pavement as she dashed towards the source of the noise. The murmurs of a crowd reached their ears as Psyche ran on, her chest heaving with every step. Taking care to avoid the crowd, Pit's guardians managed to find a little spot in a thick clump of bushes. After parting the leaves, she gazed out at the crowd, wondering why they were shouting so loudly. Her gaze followed that of the crowd to the gallows where she saw a young woman was having a thick rope being wound around her neck.

Tall and stately, she was truly the most formidable looking person both Psyche and Pit had seen. Scars could be seen all over her slim body, her every limb lean and muscular. Her long brown hair, streaked black, blew in the wind, creating an air of mystery and power about her. To Pit's slight amazement, her right arm was made of polished steel, as well as half of her right leg. She wore a deep black tunic, the precious fabric worn out and torn for what seemed to be a few months of torturous imprisonment. The red trimming on her collar, the hem of her tunic, and her belt were blood red in color, emphasizing her deep orange eyes. She was much too far away for either Pit or Psyche to see any more details of her, but both were able to tell that this woman must've been quite a threat to Tabuu if he wished to kill her so quickly.

"Speak of the devil, there he is," Psyche murmured, pointing at the balcony where the blue man stood.

"_Technically, you didn't speak so it's more like the… thought of the devil,"_ Pit corrected.

Psyche ignored his comment, squinting instead at the young woman on the gallows. A tiny man next to her held up a scroll and began speaking in loud, clear tones. He proclaimed that her name was Heather Elektra Wolfon. She was being hung for charges of treason and attempted murder. She was also a great danger to the world and if anyone knew what was good for them, they would stand down and watch as she was rid from the world forever. For a brief moment, a flash of anger lit up Heather's face, her deep orange eyes flashing menacingly. But this expression was soon replaced by that of nothing more than a calm silence as the rope was wound even tighter around her neck.

"_Nock an arrow and aim for the rope,"_ Pit instructed, _"We only have one shot at it, so make it count!"_

Psyche gulped, recoiling slightly as the pressure of the situation fell upon her shoulders. Though she raised the golden bow and managed to knock an electric blue arrow, her hands shook as she did this. Even when she raised it up and aimed it there was still a hesitation in her form, the arrow threatening to slip out of her grip. Her nervousness caused her to shake with the effort of trying to stay calm, a cold sweat forming on her face. Trying her best to push away those thoughts, she took careful aim at the rope above Heather's head. Her fingers tightened on the string, her hesitation preventing her from letting go.

"_Come on," _Pit chided, _"Do it. It's a clean shot."_

Psyche gulped again and raised the bow, aiming once again for the rope that held Heather in place. Her arm moved back, but still her fingers tightened themselves on the arrow shaft. She hesitated again, still as nervous as ever.

Pit groaned in slight irritation as he sensed her uneasiness of the situation. _"What's the problem?"_

"I-I'm nervous," Psyche whispered, the arrows shaking slightly in her tense grip, "What if I hit her?"

"_It's too late for nerves, Psyche," _the angel answered tiredly, _"If you're not up to it, just leave it to the master, eh?"_

Before Psyche could answer, she was yanked back, watching as Pit's spirit took over her body. Pit flexed his guardian's fingers, coarse from years upon years of slave labor and grabbed his bow, loading an arrow as he did so. Though the girl did not possess nearly enough strength for the arrow to fly as fast, he only had one shot and he had to make the best of it. Narrowing his eyes, he aimed the bow upwards at the rope and prepared for the shot.

"Watch and learn," he said, drawing back the bow, "One clean shot… no hesitation…"

_Thwack!_ A smirk appeared on Pit's face as he saw the electric blue arrow fly off into the unknown. Crouching even lower down in the bushes, he watched and waited to see just what would unfold.

He howled again, for possibly the eighth time that day. And who could blame him? He, after decades of being cooped up in a jar with no one else worth a while to talk to except a few blundering villains, was free.

Wolf O' Donnell, Commander of Star Wolf, zoomed over great plains and vast seas, watching as the colors below him swirled together into a single mess of a great many visions seen only in a dream. But what seemed to be the best part of all was that he knew he wasn't dreaming. He really was flying over these mighty plains, relishing his freedom at last.

He soon found himself soaring over the broken city of Smashville, filled with debris and decay. Though he told himself that this city did not matter to him, he could not help but feel a small twang in his heart for pity of the once beautiful city. Though he was only there for the third and fourth Smash Brothers Tournament, the city always felt like home to him. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he proceeded to float over towards a great crowd that gathered around what looked like a tall set of gallows. A closer look told him that someone was to be hanged today, but he could not see whom. A force nudged at him, drawing him closer to the rotting gallows.

His breathing stopped. Upon the gallows with a rope already wound around her neck was a young woman, a woman no older than 25. Though scars lined every inch of her body, she still radiated a sense of beauty and serenity. Her long brown hair was streaked with black and as it blew in the wind, Wolf could very clearly see her slightly pointed ears. On her black tunic, three red stripes shone out on each sleeve, matching the color of the hemline of her tunic and collar. Her hands, one metal and one flesh, were tied tightly behind her back with a length of rope and Wolf could see where the rope had burned the skin of her left hand because of a searing red mark. But what captivated him most of all was her eyes, still strong and determined even while she stood in the never ending shadow of death.

He knew she was the one before it even happened. He floated near her pointed ear, examining her muscles a bit before he suddenly found himself being pulled not so gently from the outside world. He raced for what seemed like hours in pure darkness before he crash landed in a realm that he knew to be her mind.

The first thing he felt was pain, a red hot pain around the neck of his guardian. The rope was already wound around her neck as tight as it could be, but not tight enough to choke her. Through her ears he was able to hear the little man still speaking about her charges for being hanged, besides for treason and attempted murder. Wolf blinked in slight confusion as the man announced that she was also to be hanged for littering. Was Tabuu really _that_ desperate to be rid of her?

Without intending to, Wolf began walking around and exploring his guardian's dark mind. Many memories, too dark to be seen flitted past him, signifying that his young guardian had a dark past which she did not like to talk or think about. Her thoughts floated around him as well, ranging from anger at her failure to acceptance for her accusation of being a danger to society. Among these thoughts, a memory floated by as well, replaying the events of what he took to be how she was caught. Curiosity overcoming him, the Commander of Star Wolf stopped to watch.

_She pulled the cowl of her midnight black cloak over her nose, leaving only her deep orange eyes revealed to the world. Her black and red tunic was neatly folded and hidden in a secret pocket of her outfit, which consisted of a black bodysuit and shoes. Her red beam sword glittered menacingly in the fading light as she carefully strapped it to her back, along with her black cyber staff. Though her body was not built for speed and stealth, she knew she had to rely on her amazing strength to try to do what was right._

_She crawled through the vents of the Smash Mansion, thankful that the extra padding in the bodysuit prevented her metal leg and arm from making any noise. She crawled and crawled until she reached what looked like a throne room of some kind, where she saw the blue man known as Tabuu and a boy whom she did not care about. Her eyes were locked on Tabuu and only Tabuu and she took her staff off of her back and raised it, preparing to strike. A man moved in front of Tabuu, speaking to him. She felt her blood boil at the sight of the man. He was her Uncle Clark, a Wolfon family member who betrayed the family and killed all the members but her when she was only 10 years old. _

_The rage she had kept bottled up for the last 15 years was threatening to break free now. She could feel it lashing itself against its chains, causing her head t pound horribly. But she fought it back down, though it exhausted her greatly. Had she not fought back her rage now, who knew what could happen. She could save Smashville. Or destroy it._

_She raised her staff and prepared to chant a potent fire spell, one that should vaporize her enemies right on the spot. But just as the words were on the tip of her tongue, Tabuu suddenly sent a wave of powerful Subspace magic right at her, shattering the vent in which she was hidden. _

"_Impressive, my lord," Clark remarked, eyeing his niece hungrily, "Very impressive indeed. How did you know she was up there?"_

"_I know all and see all," Tabuu replied, "But it is quite remarkable that this young woman was able to evade my notice for this long. Indeed, all these years I thought the rest of the Wolfon family was dead…"_

"_Well, I'm here," she spat, her eyes filled with hatred, "Anything else you want to add?"_

_Tabuu nodded, a smile touching the corners of his nonexistent mouth. "In fact, yes. You, Heather Elektra Wolfon, must be a powerful warrior to have escaped my notice for so long. I want you to join me…"_

"_Never," Heather replied immediately, "You killed my entire family, save my uncle. Why should I join you?"_

"_You'll have power beyond anything you could ever imagine," Tabuu told her, forming a throbbing black sphere in his hands, "You shall reign as queen over all the worlds when I choose to abdicate my throne. In fact, I shall give you the hand of my own heir, Wrath, in marriage to you."_

_Next to him, the boy, Wrath, recoiled in surprise and disgust. Heather knew the feeling was mutual between them and there was no way in the world Tabuu would ever get tired of ruling over Smashville. _

"_I'll never join you," she said calmly, "Not for all of the kingdoms of the world."_

"_Family must stick together, Heather," Clark said earnestly, "You don't want to disappoint your mother do y-"_

"_My mother is dead," Heather told him, pain rising in her voice with every word, "She's dead all because of YOU!"_

_For a brief, fearful, moment, Heather's streaked brown hair turned to black with red streaks. Her eyes too glowed blood red as she gazed upon her hated uncle. All over her face, arms, and legs, blood red Hylian markings made their appearance, telling all who saw her that she was a dangerous threat. A maniacal smile crossed her lips as she lunged forwards at her uncle, cackling all the way._

"_Eh heh heh heh! Blood… delicious blood! Delicious Wolfon BLOOD!" she shrilled, her fingernails out and ready, "Blood that is mine! ALL MINE! No one can have it except me! ME! Blood that tastes so… so dirty! MINE! ALL MINE!"_

_Clark stepped back in alarm as his niece sluggishly limped towards him, the maniacal smile never fading from her face. She slowly made her way towards him, her knife- like fingernails ready to tear through his skin. But when he saw that she was slow and sluggish, he let his guard down. But it proved immediately to be a fatal mistake._

_The new insane Heather lunged at him, sinking her powerful fingernails into his cheek and ripping the skin right off. The bloody gash simply oozed with blood as the crazed girl grabbed a handful of blood with her metal arm and began licking it, smearing it all over her lips. Clark tried his best to run away only to be stopped once again by his niece as she yanked the skin right off his arm and licked the blood as it dripped down._

"_Ehehehehe! So… dirty… so delicious…" she crooned, "Blood… my best friend… I loves me… and I love blood…hah hehehe… mm… nothing better than blood… hehehe… you want to try some? TRY SOME! KEHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

_She shoved her entire blood- drenched hand into Clark's mouth, forcing the coppery taste of blood onto his tongue. Clark recoiled in disgust at the taste, his eyes silently pleading to his master for some help. Tabuu, who had been watching with some amusement, stood up from his throne and formed a black ball of electricity in his hands. Just as Heather looked upon him, he flung it at her, causing her to slam against the floor. Then, all was blackness._

"_Man…"_ Wolf muttered with a hint of admiration, _"She must be one insane girl…"_

A sudden shuffling caught his attention. Turning, he saw the raven haired, red eyed, version of his guardian that he had seen in the memory. She was struggling against what he recognized as Tabuu's Chains of Light deep within the back of Heather's mind. As she looked up at him, their eyes locked and the familiar maniacal smile crossed her face, sending chills down Wolf's spine.

"_Heh heh… nice wolf man…" _she said, her eyes narrowing seductively, _"Care to help me? Ehehehe… want to… embrace me? You look soooo nice… soooo warm… Kehehehehe!"_

"_Who are you?" _Wolf asked in slight disbelief.

"_Me? Hehehe… I am Heather Wolfon! Black Heather Wolfon! Kehahaha! I like… blood! So… dirty… like cold gasoline! Mmm… I must have blood… hahaha… ned blood… soooo good… you want some too? I'll save you some… kehahaha! If I don't eat it all first! EHEHEHEHE!"_

Wolf calmly looked on as Black Heather continued to struggle with her chains, even going as far as to try to tear them with her teeth. She let out another maniacal cackle when she saw him watching, her blood red eyes shining menacingly. Though a stab of fear entered the Smasher's heart, he stood his ground, glaring back at the woman in chains.

"_Nice wolf… handsome wolf…"_ she crooned, _"Kehehehe… lemme out… lemme out and I'll kill him! Ehehehe… I'll kill him for you! You know you want me to kill him… kehahaha… I'll kill him and take his blood for you…"_

"_Who are you talking about?"_

Black Heather threw back her head and laughed, revealing bloodstained teeth. _"TABUU! Hahaha… I shall kill Tabuu! And take his blood… like cold gasoline… so… mm… dirty…you want some?"_

At the mention of his hated foe's name, Wolf's ears pricked up. Though he hated Fox more than anything in the world, he would stop at nothing to see Tabuu vanquished once and for all. It was he who caused him so much shame and pain as Wolf had been one of the first ones to get his soul ripped from his body when Master Hand sent the fifth wave of reinforcements. It was also extremely embarrassing to have been defeated by nothing more than a flick from the Subspace Lord's wrist as he lunged at him with his claws. Wolf felt the anger and hate bubbling in him once again, causing his vision to go red. He very claws shook with frustration as he replayed the scene of his two second battle with Tabuu over and over again.

He wanted revenge. Worse, he wanted blood to be spilled. He wanted the blood of the Lord of Subspace to stain the ground and paint it black as night, a sign of what would happen to anyone who dared defy him. These thoughts fueled his anger even more and it was with great pleasure that he reached out for the chains that held Black Heather captive and pulled with all his might.

_Crack!_ The powerful chains snapped easily from between his claws. With a cackle that shook the sky, Black Heather unleashed her full righteous fury, powered by the anger and hate that flowed through Wolf's mind. She bounced around in the mind of Wolf's guardian a bit before shooting out a small white portal and disappearing. Immediately afterwards, a small scream could be heard as another figure came hurtling through the portal and into the mind of Heather Wolfon. Wolf recognized her as the true form of the girl who was to be hung and he immediately rushed over to help her up.

"_What's going on?"_ the girl panted, _"Who are you?"_

"_Wolf O' Donnell,"_ he answered, _"Commander of Star Wolf and Smasher."_

Before Heather could reply an unexpected great flash of light caught her eye. Both she and Wolf watched in wonder as a streak of bright electric blue suddenly streaked through the air, headed right towards them. For a split second, the beam of light hung suspended in the air, revealing its identity of an arrow made of purest light. Just as quickly as it had came, the arrow lodged itself into the wooden beam that held up the gallows, slicing through the strong rope that held Heather in place.

For a single moment, the entire crowd standing around the gallows was silent. Then, a scream of terror erupted from the throat of a woman standing somewhere towards the front. Her scream soon infected those next to her and traveled throughout the crowd, creating a chorus of horrible blood curdling shrieks. The noise was ear splitting, loud enough to cause the very foundation of Heather's mind to shake.

Wolf felt a sudden jolt as Black Heather, now possessing Heather's body, lunged out at the woman who screamed, her fingernails digging deep into the woman's throat. The screaming stopped almost immediately, but that wasn't enough for the crazed woman. With what seemed like a mere twitch of her fingers, Black Heather snapped the woman's throat right in half and ripped off her head, watching greedily as the blood oozed out of the horrible wound. Bringing the corpse to her lips, she took a small sip of blood, but soon gagged and threw away the dead body.

"Disgusting filthy blood!" she screamed, "Not good enough! KEHAHAHA! I need more! More! MORE!" She lunged for another throat as a man tried to flee.

"_No!"_ Heather, the real Heather screamed, _"He's just an innocent bystander!"_

Black Heather halted, her knife- like fingernails only inches from the man's throat. The pedestrian ran away as she whirled sluggishly around at the Primids as they decided to attack. Among them were Metaknight, Samus, and Link, their yellowed eyes shining bright with malice and hate. Samus had donned her powersuit and already she was charging up her plasma laser to use it to subdue the bloodthirsty young woman.

Wolf watched as Black Heather licked her lips, her red eyes glowing brightly with pure greed and insanity. "Ehehehe… good Tabuu… he sent me a meal before I killed him! Kehehehe… maybe I'll let him die slowly… mm… a snack before I kill!"

Several of the Primids tried to take advantage of her sluggish actions to no prevail. With Wolf silently cheering her on, Black Heather grabbed a beam sword from one of the Primids as it ran near and swung it in a wide arc, recreating Link's spin attack. A few more Primids tried to aim for her left leg, the only vulnerable spot on her body. Black Heather, sensing their approach, met them with a powerful kick from her metal clad right leg as they neared. A sneer crossed her face as she grabbed one of the Primids as they flew back and ripped off its arm, licking the Shadow Bugs as they fell. She quite literally ate up the Primid and soon discarded its body far away as the three possessed Smashers came forward to meet her in combat.  
Wolf felt the thirst for blood and vengeance grow within Black Heather, fueled even more by his own desire of revenge. For a brief moment, Black Heather's red eyes traveled over to the few pedestrians that remained, her tongue shooting out to lick the blood on her lips. But just as she was about to limp over to the humans, Heather, the true Heather, stepped in once again to stop herself from going too far.

"_I just need to kill Tabuu,"_ she told herself calmly, _"Then see if I can get out of here without hurting too many innocent people…"_

With a small snarl, Black Heather tried to dodge as Metaknight came at her with lightning speed. She had no time to react as the Star Warrior slammed into her with the strength of a speeding truck, drawing blood from her arm. Wolf was unable to be sure if should feel disgusted or not when Black Heather lifted her own arm up to her lips and began licking the blood that flowed from the wound.

"Mm… delicious Wolfon blood… ehehe… so addicting…" she said, smearing it all over her face, "Want some? Heh heh heh… it's tastes so… mm… sooooo good…"

She was answered by another lightning fast tornado attack from Metaknight, followed immediately by a missile from Samus and a volley of arrows from the Green Clad Hero. Though the girl was able to dodge the missile, the force of Metaknight slamming into her forced her back a few steps. The sharpened arrowheads bit at her pale skin, drawing even more blood form her veins.

"Bad, bad Smashers…" she hissed, "You didn't bring me blood… ehehehe… you made me have to eat my own blood… how _selfish!_"

She limped over towards Metaknight, preparing to strike. The Star Warrior regarded her calmly for one moment before he drilled right into her once again, causing Black Heather to howl in pain. Samus began firing quick, rapid shots from her plasma gun as Link came rushing at her with his sword drawn and ready. For a brief moment, Black Heather was Heather Wolfon again, the girl looking on in fear and horror as the man who was once a close friend of her great grandmother's raised his sword and brought it down to strike her.

"_No!"_ Wolf shouted, concentrating with all his might.

A swift flash of unbearable pain met him as he shoved Black Heather's consciousness out of the way and took over. He raised Heather's metal right arm and caught the blade just in time, feeling the blood trickle down to the ground. Link's eyes widened in surprise as his sword was parried in this way, causing his sword hand to falter just a bit.

Wolf smirked as he saw the brief flash of fear in Link's face. "What's the matter? Scared?

"_Pikana… did you hear that?"_

"Eh?" the girl asked, wiping bits of ham off her chin, "Hear what, Pikachu? Is it Bob again? I told him to leave and never come back!"

"_Not Bob,"_ the pokemon answered nervously, _"Bu-"_

Suddenly, the ground began to rumble and shake. Pikana's ears pricked up as she heard the sounds of approaching wheels, as well as another strange sound like the sound of blades scraping against one another. This noise caught the attention of Samus as well, her eyes narrowing in confusion at the noise.

It began as a faint shadow near at the end of the corridor. As it approached, it only grew larger and larger until its top just barely brushed the ceiling. Both Pikachu and Samus recognized this strange creature of Subspace, with its two giant blades and identifiable red weak point atop its head. It was a powerful foe, never one to be taken lightly. Pikana only had seconds to react as it raised its powerful twin blades and sung them in circles, just barely scraping the girl's tail as it did so.

"YEOWCH!" Pikana shouted, grabbing her bleeding tail, "Arceus, that hurt!"

"_Golfer! Get up!"_ Samus yelled, unable to shake him, _"Hello? GET UP!"_

When her guardian only turned over and snored on, Samus turned exasperatedly to Pikachu, who frowned. Then, an idea formed in his head and it did not take him long to tell this to Pikana. After avoiding yet another round of hacks from the blades of the Subspace enemy, Pikana unleashed a great blast of electricity aimed directly at Samus's guardian. A sudden scream from him told her that her lightning bolt had hit its mark.

"What's going on?" he asked, shaking his head to clear it.

"_I'll give you a hint,"_ Samus told him, _"It's huge, round, and… ABOUT TO SLICE YOU IN HALF!"_

Golfer looked up and dodged just as the two huge sickles came crashing down. Though they missed him, the same couldn't be said for his plasma gun. The enemy rolled all over the shattered remains of the bounty hunter's weapon, disrespecting it for all its worth. Pikana pulled out Bazookie and fired a blast at its blades, only to have the bullet bounce right off and onto the floor. It also didn't help that the bullet too was run over by the round enemy.

"_Aim for its head!"_ Pikachu instructed, _"That's its weak point!"_

Pikana readied Bazookie for another blast, but she was snatched out of the way of the blades by Golfer as the enemy rushed at her. She watched in utter dismay as Bazookie was lost forever under the heavy wheels of the Subspace soldier. A cry of shattered pain rose from her as her precious weapon was so cruelly ripped away from her. Digging her face into Golfer's chest, she cried her heart out as he gently stroked her back. But this moment was soon interrupted by the blades slicing through the air once again, this time aimed for the boy's leg.

"OH GOD THAT HURTS!"

He was pinned under the point of the blade, his blood simply oozing from the gash that had formed. In all his pain, he had thrown Pikana out of harm's way, but wasn't quick enough to actually avoid the blade itself. Samus was frantic with worry, knowing that another blow like that would cost him his life. She managed to take control of his body just in time to narrowly avoid the second blade as it aimed directly for her head. Though her leg still throbbed with pain, she ignored it long enough to reach over to where a plasma gun once owned by a Primid lay and take aim.

The enemy saw her sudden movement and used its other arm to knock the weapon right out of her hands, sending it skidding off to somewhere unknown. She saw her reflection in the blade as the Subspace enemy raised it up once again, seeing the blue- eyed, fearful expression on Golfer's face. She closed her eyes, awaiting her impending doom.

"CHUUUUU!"

Pikachu, who had long ago taken over for Pikana, released a bolt of electricity aimed directly at the enemy's weak point. Though he missed, it was enough to get the enemy's attention and cause it to leave Samus alone, removing the blade that pinned her leg to the ground as it did so. Pikachu aimed another blast of electricity at its head, this time managing to hit it, but not hard enough to kill the enemy.

Samus managed to crawl her way over to where another Primid plasma gun lay, gripping the precious weapon in her sweaty palms. Taking careful aim, she fired a single shot at the enemy, striking it right on the weak point. Reeling from the blow, the enemy was unable to counter when Pikachu leaped up, turned a flip in the air, and came crashing down headfirst right onto its red weak spot.

The enemy exploded in a flurry of Shadow Bugs and who knows what else. Both Samus and Pikachu had to shield their eyes to avoid the sudden onslaught of dead Subspace Bugs and by the time they opened their eyes, they were covered from head to foot in disgusting purple goop.

"_Well, it could be worse, right?" _Golfer remarked, _"You guys could be covered in poop or something…"_

"Thanks for the pleasant thought," Samus muttered sarcastically.

When she turned to Pikachu for his own feedback, the little pokemon was frowning in confusion. His long ears twitched every so often, as if trying to pick up a noise of some kind. When he saw Samus staring at him, his frown deepened.

"I here something," he said uneasily, "Some kind of… beeping…"

"Beeping?" Samus asked, fear rising within her.

Pikachu nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty rhythmic… one beep for every second… it's getting faster now…"

Samus had only seconds to react. Staggering to her feet, the grabbed the Pokemon and tucked him under her arm. Ignoring Pikachu's confused protests, she leaped out the window and braced herself for an impact landing.

_BOOOM!_ The bomb went off a second after she made it out the window. Holding the little pokemon close, she faced her broken arm side towards the ground and closed her eyes, feeling the debris fly past her as she fell.

If it was possible for an arm to break twice, there was no way anyone would ever want to experience it. Unfortunately, both Samus and Golfer were forced to feel the horrifying pain of breaking an arm not once, but twice in the same week. The force of their landing sent an entire world of pain through them, causing both to scream in pain. Pikachu and Pikana looked on in concern for their friends, unable to do a thing.

They turned their attention to the asylum, but it wasn't there anymore. Instead, a dark portal to Subspace greeted them, its dark depths sending chills down their spines. The enemy was nothing more than a distraction, a diversion created so that the bomb could be planted. Though it failed, something- or someone- intended to have them destroyed.

"Almost there, Your Highness!" Cimar said cheerfully, reaching out to grab hold of the vines.

Zelda sighed in relief. _"Good. I was getting a bit tired of being caught by those guards every ten seconds!"_

They had spent all morning and most of the afternoons attempting to sneak into the castle courtyard. Cimar, though quite intelligent, was also a bit clumsy when it came to making no noise, usually accidentally breaking a pot or two as he tried to sneak past the guards. It also did not help that there happened to be a large stash of rupees guarded by a single Royal Soldier in the middle of the way.

The paths the soldiers were told to watch were rather complicated, baffling even. It took Cimar at least two minutes to figure out the exact path a guard would retrace before he mastered most, if not all, of them. But still they were always caught one way or another.

"I still can't believe all it took was that idea of yours," Cimar muttered as he started climbing, "I mean, those guards are rather stupid, but I'm pretty sure they're not so stupid as to fall for so… so transparent a trick as _that_."

"_That is true," _Zelda agreed, _"But we also have to remember that I've been kidnapped about ten times in a month the last time Link and I were in Hyrule at the same time as Ganondorf. It seems that some things never change…"_

Cimar nodded as he reached for another vine. They were about two thirds of the way up the building now, Rinku's window a mere ten feet away. But just as he grabbed hold of the next vine, the one he grasped in his other hand snapped right off, causing him to dangle with only one hand. Cimar's vision swam before his eyes as he looked down in fear, his heart racing in his chest. He was twenty feet off the ground, the guards below a few mere specks in the distance. His head pounded as he saw just how high up he truly was, his muscles tensing in fear. If he should slip, he would fall to his doom. In fact, he could feel his fingers slipping on the vine right at that moment.

"_Calm down, Cimar,"_ Zelda said soothingly, _"Just don't look down… we're almost there!"_

Cimar's desperate battle against his own fear still raged on inside him as he forced himself to continue climbing. Though his will had the upper hand, his fear did not make things any easier. A cold sweat broke out on his brow as he grabbed the window ledge, almost slipping again, but he held on. Zelda smiled as Cimar managed to heave himself through the window and there he lay, panting.

"_You did well,"_ she praised, _"It's not every day someone can conquer his fear of heights."_

"I-I wasn't afraid!" he protested, "Just… nervous that I might fail the mission!"

"_Suure…"_ Zelda replied, her bell- like laughter filling his mind.

Before Cimar could come up with a good comeback, the door to the room opened, revealing a rather exhausted Rinku. Black circles lined his eyes and his once proud face was pale and gaunt. Upon stepping into his room, he immediately spotted the intruder and with a quick flick of his wrist, drew his sword. It was laden in heavy gold, inlaid with large precious stones the size of quail eggs. Made of polished steel, it was one of the most beautiful things either Zelda or Cimar had ever seen.

Though Zelda was not one to judge swords, she did her best to remember everything Link had taught her about swordsmanship. Steel, she remembered, was an ideal metal for sword making, much more deadly and potent than iron. However, it came at the price that it was much more expensive and heavier than iron and it took only those with great skills to wield the sword. Gold was also a good metal for the hilt as it was soft and durable as well as light. But gold was extremely expensive and only the wealthiest of the wealthy could afford a gold hilt. Next came the jewels, though very beautiful, weighed the sword down and made it heavier than it should be. In addition, jewels often needed some serious looking after and it only gave bandits a greater excuse to attack a swordsman in the woods if his sword had precious jewels upon it.

Her thoughts soon traveled back to Link, how they used to be the greatest of friends. When they were both kids, they would play almost non stop in the fields of Hyrule, so much that Impa often had to _force_ the princess and the boy to come in for dinner. As they grew, they often went exploring together and they found a great many things believed to be lost forever. Sometimes, they would simply go out for a walk to Lake Hylia, and there they would sit, enjoying the bright sunlight. His smile had always captivated her and it was truly the longest year for her in her life when he was called away for the first Smash Brothers Tournament. One year of not seeing his amazing smile tore her heart quite literally in two. But then she was invited and those happy days began again.

And yet, as the years wore on, she felt that there was something more between them, something so potent, yet so mysterious that she did not know what it was. Though the goddesses blessed her with wisdom beyond her age, she was unable to discern just why she had begun to felt so… so strange when she was around him.

"Nice sword," Cimar remarked, snapping the princess from her thoughts, "But the jewels are a bit much aren't they? They'll weigh the sword down."

Rinku nodded, never relinquishing his grip on the sword. "I know… but Dad says that it's important for others to know just how powerful and wealthy you are and the jewels signify that."

"Interesting theory, but absolutely not true," came Cimar's reply.

A muscle twitched in Rinku's jaw. "Just who are you anyway? It's not exactly appreciated around here when someone sneaks into a room of the castle and starts commenting about swords."

Cimar bowed slightly, never taking his eyes off of the prince. "I am Cimar of Turalis. I am part of the Disciples of Wisdom and-"

"Disciples of Wisdom?" Rinku asked sharply, "That's impossible! I thought you were all dead!"

"Not dead, but in hiding," Cimar said calmly, "We've been researching the whereabouts of Princess Zelda, who in fact, is currently-"

"Zelda?" Rinku suddenly asked, his voice strangely changed, "She's here? You know where she i- ARGH!"

Though Cimar's thoughts swam with confusion, Zelda knew that voice immediately. For the brief moment Rinku's voice had so suddenly changed, she saw how his eyes changed from sky blue to piercing azure. She had felt a sudden rush of power come forth at the sound of the voice and as if that wasn't enough, her heart began racing. Rinku was Link's guardian. She watched as Rinku grasped his head, his face twisted in pain. Just as suddenly, the expression faded and he opened his eyes, now back to their usual ocean blue. Cimar noticed this as well, but chose to keep quiet, intending to discuss it with Zelda later.

"Sorry about that," Rinku said in his normal tones, "I'm recovering from a bit of… of a cold, you can say…"

"No problem," Cimar said lightly, "Anyways, that's who I am. Cimar of Turalis, Disciple of Order."

Rinku's eyes narrowed in confusion as he summoned a memory from what seemed like ages ago. "I met you once… a few months back…"

"I was the one who gave you food and water while you ran away," Cimar confirmed, "I was the one who gave you directions to the base camp of the Warriors of Courage. I was the one who basically saved your life that day."

Rinku nodded. "Yes, I remember now… I was forever grateful to you since that day, but I never got to know your name…" Then, his expression hardened. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why you're with your father again," Cimar answered calmly, "Why you're with your father again when you swore never to come back."

For a brief moment, Rinku hesitated, his bottom lip quivering ever so slightly. "Penance…"

"Penance?" Cimar asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow, "What for?"

"For the death of my mother," Rinku answered, his voice choked with tears, "That night I fled… I placed poison into a cup, intending my father to drink it… but instead, my mother got it and she was the one who gave her life for my selfish intents. If I hadn't ran away, she would be alive and happy right now… we'd be a family…it's all my fault she died and the goddesses themselves are ready to punish me unless I can gain penance by doing everything my father asks of me…"

"Your fault!" Cimar asked in disbelief, "The death of your mother was completely unintentional! What's more, how is serving as a slave to your father a form of penance!"

"Slave?" Rinku cried, "I am not a slave! Here, I am treated as a prince! And I'll have you know, all my father asks of me is to… to…"

"To…?"

"That doesn't matter right now!" Rinku said quickly, "What matters is that I'm honoring my mother's name and gaining forgiveness from the goddesses!"

"By what?" the Disciple of Wisdom questioned, anger and frustration bubbling up in his voice, "By taking _more_ lives? By betraying your own country?"

"You don't understand!" Rinku yelled, his voice breaking, "I _murdered_ my own mother out of cold blood! I deserve to have this fate!"

"I understand, alright!" Cimar snapped, "I understand that you're too blinded by your grief over the death of your mother to see reason! How is it penance that you're executing even more people, taking even more lives? You're basically murdering them!"

"They've committed treason against my father, the king!" Rinku retorted, "That deserves capital punishment!"

"Oh, so your dad's the king now? Last I checked, he was an overly ambitious advisor to King Daphnes, a scheming little worm after the throne, an usurper!"

Rinku's eyes were furious now, flashing an icy blue in the moonlight. He entire body shook with anger as he regarded his foe, unsure of whether to strike and kill him now or summon his guards. But then he remembered the debt he owed to him and lowered his sword, glaring at him coldly.

"A life for a life," he lamented, his voice cold as ice, "I won't summon the guards. I'll just let you go. Get out of my sight."

Without another word, Cimar hopped onto the tree branch and sidled down the tree trunk, too angry to speak. Zelda felt the warming presence of Link slowly melting away as they left the room, a wave of sadness washing over her. Link truly had his work cut out for him, but no matter what, the princess knew he would pull through in the end.

"_Good luck, my hero…"_

Rinku slammed his fist down on his oak desk, creating a small crack on its polished wood surface. His gaunt face was even paler now, almost ghostlike as he let his anger out on the desk. Link watched calmly as his guardian let it all out, remembering times when he would do the same thing.

"How dare he," Rinku ranted, pounding all the while harder, "How dare he speak to me like that… I ought to have him exiled!"

"_And how is that any better than executing him?"_ the Chosen Hero asked blankly, _"How in the world are you going to gain penance by killing him?"_

"Not you too!" Rinku moaned.

"_Rinku, Cimar was right," _Link told him, _"You're not gaining any form of penance whatsoever by doing what your dad says!"_

"O-Of course I am!"

"_No, you're not,"_ he said firmly, _"You don't gain penance for a crime by doing even more crimes in its place."_

"Even more cri-"

"_For one thing, you're signing execution orders almost non stop,"_ the hero pointed out.

"B-Because… because my father told me that's how I gain penance!" Rinku said desperately.

"_You gain penance for a murder by committing a thousand more murders?"  
_Rinku remained silent. Link used this to his advantage and pressed on, naming all he had done since reuniting with his father.

"_You heavily taxed the peasants and severely punished those who were too poor to pay. You observed the burning of all the books about the Harkinan family. You watched as one by one, the Zoras were rounded up and chopped into fish paste. You didn't speak out once when the Gorons were grounded into pebbles for the moat. Heck, you even gave away battle strategies used by the Disciples of Courage. That's a thousand more crimes to repay a single one you didn't commit."_

"A single, horrible one," Rinku insisted, "I killed my own mother for Pete's sake!"

"_But you did not intend to and that, my friend, makes all the difference in the world."_

When Rinku did not reply again, Link pressed on some more, determined to set things right.

"_Rinku, if your mother was alive right now, what would she say?"_

Rinku's white hand tightened into a fist his teeth clenching. Juts as he was about to reply, shouts were heard down in the courtyard. Rushing to the window, Rinku's eyes widened in fear as he saw the guards surrounding a figure dressed in a mottled cloak. He watched helplessly as the cloaked figure was dragged away into the castle, blood dripping form a gash on his cheek. He began shaking his head, murmuring the word no under his breath.

"No, no, no! It wasn't supposed to happen like this!" he said frantically, "Cimar was supposed to get out of this place safely!"

"_There's nothing we can do,"_ Link said gloomily, a strange feeling rising within him at the thought that Cimar might be Zelda's guardian.

He had felt a strange presence in the room when Cimar was in there, a deep, soothing presence that Zelda normally carried with her wherever she went. They had been the best of friends all their lives and as the hundred years passed while they were held captive, he had had plenty of time to muse over his feelings for her. He did not understand what made his heart sing every time she was around, but he did know one thing: she was the most amazing woman he ever met.

For hours it seemed Rinku paced back and forth in his room, running his fingers through his hair. The over extravagant sword lay forgotten on his bed, its useless jewels glittering in the light of the moon. Then, a knock on the door woke him up from his thoughts and he rushed to open it. The page on the other side held out a single sheet of parchment and before he could go through the important ceremony that must be performed before handing over the sheet of paper, Rinku had grabbed it and slammed the door in his face.

It said this:

_King Sorius I of Hyrule hereby requests an execution confirmation from Prince Rinku I of Hyrule. Cimar of Turalis is hereby charged with crimes of treason and attempted murder. Please sign this death warrant to confirm these charges so that a punishment may be dealt. If signed, Cimar of Turalis shall be burned at the stake at first light tomorrow._

Rinku gulped, his palms moist and sweaty. "A death sentence… my father wishes me to approve a death sentence…"

"_And what is your decision?" _Link asked, _"Do you approve it or not?"_

Rinku blinked in surprise. "You're letting… me make the choice?"

"_You're the prince, after all. As prince, you must do what is best for your kingdom…"_

Rinku picked up his quill pen and dipped it in the ink well on his desk. For a brief moment, he allowed the point of the quill to hover over the signature line, quivering slightly in nervous tension. A single drop of ink fell onto the page, the black dot like a mark of death one the line. Memories surged in front of his eyes, memories of all he held dear, long dead.

Link's words echoed in his ears. _"If your mother was alive right now, what would she say?"_

He put down his quill.

"No."

The sea. He was flying over the sea. The little boy gave a shout of joy as he turned circles in midair, flipping and cart wheeling every which way. He loved the sea.

Freedom was a feeling he had sorely missed. A hundred years of containment, and he being so young, had taken a hard toll on him. The maturity he had gained through his many adventures had flown right out the window, replaced by the maturity of a little boy who just got a free piece of chocolate from a lady at a candy shop. But still, he was free.

A seagull passed by, its sweet sound like music to his ears. He had missed music as well.

Suddenly, a pink streak joined him, surprising him out of his wits. Laughing, the pink streak gently nudged him and together, the two began a game of tag in the sky.

"_You're out of there too?"_ he asked enthusiastically.

The pink smoke nodded. _"I hope they have good food wherever I'm going!"_

He laughed. _"Of course you do…"_

Together, the pink smoke and the yellow gas flew off into the sunset, their destination marked by a gleaming castle in the distance.

**Okay, I've got a lot to say here at the end…**

**First off, I would like to give special thanks to Twilight Blayder Julz, the creator of Heather, for giving me a good plot for Heather's section of the chapter. Without her, my well of inspiration would be emptier than the California State School Budget! XD**

**Second, there are two references to my favorite games in this chapter. The first is to Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, recognizable only to those who have played it (and actually watched the cut scenes). The second is a nod to Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It should be easier to recognize, right?**

**Third, HAPPY EASTER!**

**Fourth, I still insist Golfer smells bad! XDD**

**Fifth, those stupid guards in Ocarina of Time are annoying too! And so are those giant enemies in Subspace with the giant blade thingies! Oh, and those other enemies where there's a giant blob of green goop in a tank and you have to beat up the arm to get to the goop!**

**Sixth, I like cookies!**

**Seeya next chapter, ya here?**


	11. Picho and Pichn

Picho and Pichn, the Joker and Jester

**Yeah… so last chapter wasn't exactly my best work. Sorry guys… I forgot the thing about the Master Sword, but don't worry. After milling that little problem around for a bit, I thought of something! No revealies here though! XD**

**Let's hope this chapter's a bit better. If not, sue me. **

**Disclaimer: !BBSS wno ton od I**

"_Hey, you alright?"_

Golfer opened his eyes and groaned, a great stab of pain shooting from his twice broken arm. After just barely making their escape last night, Samus and Pikachu had managed to find a small clearing in the woods nearby and hide their tracks from the Subspace denizens. Even then they were able to just barely hear the soft footsteps of the Primids on the dewey green grass, slowly fading away as they walked in the opposite direction. Not far away, Pikana was snoring, her black hoodie wrapped around her like a blanket.

A breeze brushed past, gently rustling the leaves on the trees. The footsteps of the Primids were even farther away now, but not far enough for the young man to be able to get up and move without being detected one way or another. Samus frowned as her gaze fell upon Golfer's arm, now bruised purple, blue, black, and just about every other color it could possibly be. An arm broken not one, but twice in the same weak could easily be crippled for life. A surge of concern swept through her as she thought of how her guardian might have to live with a bad arm for the rest of his life. A good doctor could easily cut it off, but it wouldn't be the same. Even robotic limbs could cause problems. What he needed right now was a good splint for his arm and of course, food.

Next to him, Pikana stirred slightly and opened her eyes. Her ears twitched slightly as the sounds of the footsteps reached them, her nose doing so as well when the horrid stench of a thousand shadow bugs wafted into the clearing. A scowl appeared on her face as she observed her conditions, her lips turned down in a frown.

"Jeez! That asylum smelled better than this place!" she commented a little too loudly.

"_Pikana, not too loud," _Pikachu said uneasily, _"There are Primids nearby…"_

"I know that," Pikana answered, lowering her voice a bit, "And they certainly don't make the air smell any better!"

Golfer let out a small chuckle. "It's good to see you awake too, Pikana…"

A smile broke out on the little pokemon's face. "Golfer! You made it to Hell too? LET'S PARTAY!!!"

"_Pikana!"_ Pikachu yelled frantically.

Samus felt Golfer's body stiffen as Pikana's voice echoed slightly in the woods. For a single heart stopping moment, the faint footsteps of the Primids stopped. Garbled muttering could be heard as the Primids stopped and wondered what had made that noise. Pikachu saw the strange gurgling transform into words as they passed through Pikana's mind, his interest in her ability to understand the strange language of the Army of Tabuu.

"They're suspecting that the noise came from this direction," Pikana murmured out loud, "They know about the clearing we're in so they think there are some escaped slaves or fugitives hanging out around here…"

"Any specific names?" her companion asked sharply.

Pikachu watched as a few scattered garbles transformed into names within Pikana's mind. There were quite a few names amongst them, some strange and some quite common. In the midst of these names, a seemingly familiar name would occasionally pop out. "Psyche", "Mah", "Squall", "Golfer", and "Anna Star" were a few of those names. The first three were complete strangers to him, but he felt a rather unexpected kinship with the owners of those names, despite the fact that he had no idea who they were or what they looked like. He frowned slightly as Pikana repeated these names to Samus's guardian, trying to unravel the web of mystery that surrounded each and every name.

"They're planning to surround the clearing!" Pikana exclaimed suddenly, causing Pikachu to jump, "There's no time to run or hide!"

Samus's mind was on red alert, her sharp blue eyes darting everywhere around the clearing. There were bushes thick enough to shield themselves in, but since the Primids would most likely search the bushes anyways, that option was out. They could try hiding themselves in the thick shadows of the clearing, but a single movement from either of them would give away their position in no time. It was then that the huntress's gaze fell upon the trees up above.

Standing about twenty feet tall, the thick leaves of each tree could easily conceal both Golfer and Pikana. Humans, she remembered, usually didn't look up while searching for something. Though she knew that the Primids were not at all human, it was a shot worth taking. Biting her lower lip in concentration, she searched the clearing to find a tree large enough for both guardians to hide in, doing her best to ignore the ever increasing pace of Golfer's heart.

"_Stay calm,"_ she ordered, recoiling slightly as a flash of panic appeared within her guardians mind, _"The more we panic, the more likely we'll make some stupid mistake nad end up getting captured."_

"Easy for you to say," her guardian muttered, "You're not the one that's going to be diced up, fried, and served on a stick…"

Samus finally found the right tree just as the sounds of breaking sticks could be heard as the Primids came closer. After ordering her guardian to climb it, he repeated the instructions to Pikana, who was itching for a fight. Despite her wish to spill more Primid blood, Pikana obeyed and scrambled up the tree with the speed of a cat. Once safely hidden, she used her little foot to lower a branch so that Golfer may grab on as well.

A laugh escaped Samus as her guardian jumped up and down trying to grasp the branch with only one hand. When he finally did, he proceeded to try to hoist himself up using his one good arm, only to fall right back down.

"_You'll have to use both hands,"_ she told him gently, stifling her laughter.

"Are you kidding me!?!"

"_It's either that or you can get chopped up, deep fried, and served on a stick!"_ the bounty huntress said cheerfully, _"Your choice."_

Grumbling to himself, Golfer reached out with his shattered arm, wincing as a stab of pain ran up his arm at the small movement. But nothing could prepare him for the moment when he grasped the branch with that arm. Pain beyond pain coursed through him, enough to make even Samus cry out. Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he just barely managed to bite his lip in time to stop the scream that was just waiting to come out. Samus's spiritual form writhed in pain as her guardian just barely managed to hoist himself up with the help of Pikana. The pain had her in its iron grip, never allowing the huntress to escape it no matter how much she screamed. When finally Golfer was safely sitting on a branch, the pain receded. It was still horrible and unbearable, but it was only enough to make the huntress wince.

Pikachu quivered with worry as he saw that Golfer's arm was not absolutely drenched in black and blue marks. He wondered a bit of how Samus had felt when the pain would course through her guardian, his concern for his old ally in the First Subspace War rising within him. Even higher was his concern for his own guardian as he felt her heart race in fear, panic slowly rising within her. Her rather scattered thoughts were even more scattered now as she considered taking out Chainy and jumping in for the mass Primid massacre.

"_Don't do it, Pikana,"_ he whispered.

"And why shouldn't I?" she asked as the distant shadows of the Primids could be seen slowly surrounding the clearing, "Those guys are easy enough to take down…"

"_But… but you'll get hurt!"_ he answered, _"And… and I can't lose you just like that…"_

He was surprised to find that he actually meant those words, his head swimming in confusion. Despite this, Pikana took no notice of his thoughts as her hand traveled into the pocket of her hoodie for her chainsaw. Just as her hand wrapped around the handle of the chainsaw to be, an arm came from out of nowhere, cloaked in black.

Pikachu gasped in surprise as he felt this arm wrap around Pikana's little body, pinning her other arm to her side. Golfer noticed this as well and he could not do anything but look on helplessly as a hand clamped over Pikana's mouth, muffling her screams. The owner of these arms and hands was hidden in the shadows, but as soon as he got his hostage, he slowly shuffled out into the light until only his silhouette could be seen.

Samus frowned as this new obstacle stepped out into their path, her temper rising. They had just evaded a whole horde of Primids and now this unknown foe was what they had to face next. She felt Golfer's jaw stiffen as his gaze fell upon this figure, his eyes narrowing in hate.

"Golfer…" the figure said lightly, his voice stirring a faint memory from deep within Golfer's mind, "It's been too long…"

"So it has," he answered, his voice cold and full of hate, "How long has it been? Four, five years?"

"Ten," the figure corrected calmly, "Ten years since we've last saw each other."

"And ten years since you've betrayed me…"

**

Yoshi shivered in fear as Mah was snatched up by the arms and forcefully blindfolded. The velvet black covering blinded both guardian and Smasher from their surroundings, creating a small stirring of fear from deep within their minds. Yoshi was able to feel as Mah's body was dragged across the floorboards of the _Eye of the Apocalypse_, its griminess slowly rubbing off on her exposed thighs. He felt her wince in pain as a nail passed by under them, creating what they both knew to be a horribly long and deep gash on her leg.

"_I don't like that looks of this situation,"_ Yoshi commented uneasily.

Mah was doing her best to remain optimistic, but even then Yoshi was able to watch as her fear grew with every step. "Maybe… they're planning a surprise of some kind so they blindfolded us for that reason?"

Yoshi managed a sad smile, his guardian's light heart lifting his spirits just a little. _"I really wish, Mah… I really wish…"_

As another lump of muck passed by under her legs, Mah's warm smile quickly transformed into a hard frown. "Ugh! This place could use some serious cleaning up. I mean, just what was that that passed under my leg?!? Gross!"

The pirate who was dragging her let out a hearty chuckle, his foul breath billowing across the young girl's face. "That there be some nice leftovers from yesterday's suppa'! Nothin' like some good rat stew, ain't it, lass?"

Mah's face paled at his words, her stomach lurching in disgust. "R-Rat… r-rat stew?!?"

"Rat stew!" the pirate confirmed, "Blinkin' good stuff that is!"

That was all too much for Yoshi's guardian. The little green dinosaur felt and cringed as whatever food was left in the young girl's stomach flew out of her mouth in large chunks, disappearing into the disgusting dump that was once a floor. She was completely covered in what was left of her breakfast and it did not help that her dress was now soaked in it as well. She cursed under her breath as she felt the horrible substance running down her leg, unable to reach down and clean it up.

With a rather rough jerk, she was then flung somewhere, her face banging on the dirty floor. Blood gushed out of her nose like a waterfall as the sound of metal against metal could be heard, as if a door had been slammed shut. She could still fear the leer of the pirate that had dragged her here, feel the foul smelling breeze of his breath as he continued to stare at her. Though still blindfolded, Mah could not help but feel a shiver run down her spine as she felt his eyes travel upon what she assumed to be her breasts. Yoshi felt this as well and anger welled up inside him at the thought of how anyone so disgusting would dare lay a hand on such a pure girl.

"You're a right pretty lass," the pirate whispered, "Right pretty indeed…"

Mah scoffed in disgust. "Don't touch me!"

She then proceeded to crawl in the direction of what she believed was to be the back of the room she was held in. But her fears were answered when she suddenly felt hard metal bars between her fingers and then the horrid body odor of the pirate reached her nostrils. Recoiling slightly, she proceeded to crawl again in the opposite direction. To her utmost horror, the face of the pirate awaited her there as well as his hot breath soon reached her. She tried every direction possible, but no matter what she did, the pirate was always there, waiting for her.

"W-Where am I?" she demanded angrily, "Why are you following me!?!?"

Her anger rose at the pirate's laugh. "Haven't figured it out yet, eh lassie? You should be a right smart lass too! Where are ya?"

"Um… a room?" Mah asked, "A room made of sticks?"

More laughter followed her answer. "Aye, lass! Ye be a close answerer! Ye be in a cage, lass! A nice little cage for a nice little lassie!"

"A cage?" Mah asked, confusion evident in her voice, "Is that bad?"

In her mind, Yoshi nodded sadly, his eyes downcast. _"Yes… Mah, we're prisoners…"_

"It depends, lass!" the pirate answered at the same time, "Sometimes it be good, sometimes it be bad! But being in a cage is always good for me!"

Suddenly, Yoshi felt a large, meaty hand tug at the collar of Mah's dress. He cried out at the same time Mah felt it, though she did not understand why this was happening. She read Yoshi's thoughts, all panicked and confusing. The word "rape" seemed to be most prominent in his thoughts, but her head still spun slightly in confusion.

Instinct tugged at her and it was instinct that caused her to launch an egg right at the hand. The pirate let out a cry of pain as he seemed to wrench his hand right out of the cage. Still howling, he made some rather loud and clumsy noises before the sound of a door could be heard as it slammed shut. Mah frowned in disbelief, unable to understand what had just happened. Meanwhile, Yoshi was absolutely frantic with concern for his guardian.

"_Mah, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself? He didn't do anything besides just that, right?"_

Mah shook her head. "I couldn't see anything, Yoshi, so I don't know… what was he trying to do?"

"_A bad thing,"_ the little green dinosaur answered, _"A very, very bad thing…"_

**

"_Nask? Hey Nask… can you hear me?"_

"Wake up, my dear… I've been so worried for you…"

"Urgh… what?" Nask asked, moaning in pain as she stirred, "Wha-"

"Calm yourself, child," a voice answered, "You're safe in my hands."

When Nask opened her eyes, her vision blurred slightly as a bright white light met her. In her mind, she was able to hear Marth gasp in pain as the light met him, unable to shield himself from it. Her vision still blurred, the young girl put up her arm to shield the light and it was then that the distorted outline of a figure appeared.

"I apologize for the light," the voice continued, "But soon enough your eyes should adjust…"

The voice was beautiful, like music in word form. Every word the voice spoke echoed slightly and every breath was rich and full. The voice itself was soft and kind, full of laughter and sadness all at once. It was the voice of a woman to be sure, a kind, gentle woman. It seemed to sing and not sing at the same time, ring with laughter and laced with mourning. As the musical tinkle met their ears, both Marth and Nask wished nothing more than to laugh, yet cry at the same time.

It did not take long for Nask's vision to adjust, but it was still quite painful to look directly into the light. The distorted outline of a figure soon settled into that shape of a woman, tall and graceful. She was the most beautiful woman either of them had ever seen, cloaked in flowing sky blue robes and possessing sparkling amber eyes. But what was the most distinct feature of this glorious woman had to be her hair, long and flowing. It was red, orange, yellow, and gold, the color of dawn itself. Her rosy mouth was upturned into a smile that was warm and inviting, yet saddening all at once. The light seemed to radiate from her and with her every step, a beautiful pink bud would appear under her feet.

"_Whoa…"_ Marth whispered, his breath stopping short, _"I think I've fallen in love all over again…"_

Nask could only manage a nod as the radiant woman approached, her smile widening as her gaze fell upon the trembling soldier before her. As if by instinct, Nask's knees buckled down into a kneeling position as the woman came closer to her. Holding out a soft hand, she gently ran her slim fingers through Nask's thick red locks before removing them and smiling all the more wider.

"Welcome, Naskara Dragoon," the woman trilled, "I have been waiting for you…"

"Y-You have?" Nask asked, her awe rising.

"_Have you been waiting for me too?"_ Marth blurted out before he could stop himself.

Just as he was breathing a sigh of relief at how thankful he was that this woman could not hear him, her bell- like laughter stopped him. "Oh yes, I have been waiting for you as well, Prince Marth!"

Another laugh escaped her when Marth gave a start of surprise. As the prince was gathering his bearings, the woman turned her attention back to his guardian, her eyes sparkling with pleasure.

"Yes, I have been waiting for you both," she said, "My name is Ashunera, Goddess of Dawn…"

"Goddess of Dawn?" Nask asked in slight confusion.

"_I believe Ike mentioned her once…"_ Marth said distractedly, a memory stirring from deep within his mind.

Ashunera nodded. "Indeed. Part of me once traveled with him on a great journey to save the known world from getting completely destroyed and to stop another part of myself from executing the blow that would destroy that world."

Marth's thoughts swam in confusion at her words. One part of him wished nothing more than to ask the woman to tell her tale right from the beginning, never stopping until it was over and done with. But another force tugged on him, and he chose to follow the latter.

"_So why have you brought us here?"_ he asked, restraining the urge he had to ask her about her past.

"You two are destined to help save the Smash World, correct?" Ashunera asked.

"That's right," Nask said a bit uncertainly, "That's the whole reason Marth's here in the first place, right?"

"_I guess…"_ Marth replied, _"Unless that old hand made a mistake of some sort…"_

"I have brought you both here," Ashunera continued, "Because I will need you to go assist a fellow guardian and their Smasher. The Smasher has long ago won my favor and the guardian, though slightly hot headed, is as kind as kind can be. They are locked within a battle they cannot win, the tides of the duel ever shifting to their foe. Though they can hold out for a few more hours, their foe can hold out for longer. You must go to their aid and together, you shall soon find your way back to Smashville, where you belong."

"_Goddess Ashunera, where might we meet this guardian?" _Marth asked.

The goddess's smile was absolutely glorious now, seeming to illuminate the world. "The continent of Tellius…"

Almost at once, there was a great gust of wind. Nask's world began to spin as she felt herself spiraling downwards to earth. Faster and faster she spun, the wind whistling in her ears. Her vision swam before her eyes, the colors blurring into one. Her senses were all in a wild frenzy as they tried their best to regain themselves to no avail.

"Let me go," she groaned, "Just let me go already…"

_Thud!_

**

"ASHUNERA, THAT HURTS!!!"

"_Calm down, Cameron! I can't concentrate hard enough with you yelling like that…"_

"You're not the one who just got the skin on your right arm shredded to ribbons!" Cameron said indignantly, gesturing to his scratched up arm.

"_Just calm down,"_ the mercenary instructed, _"I don't want to fight him… but I have to…"_

Before Cameron could answer, Ranulf sprang again, aiming for his throat. With a quick dodge, Cameron was just barely able to escape the cat's powerful claws, shining silver in the bright sunlight. Another growl and another great leap came not long afterwards, this time catching onto Cameron's leg. A scream of pain was all it took to egg Ranulf on, tearing at Cameron's boots until one of them was ripped to shreds.

Ike could feel the guilt slowly eating away at him as he continued to open his eyes without meaning to, observing the battle. He still couldn't believe how his old ally had fallen victim to the dreaded drug of the Feral Ones. Would this have happened had he not left for the Smash Tournaments? Could he have stopped this from happening?

Ike had no time to dwell on these thoughts as he felt Cameron back step, tripping over something in the process. The form of a girl soon appeared, shaking her head in confusion. Her dark red hair was tied up in a ponytail and she wore the garb of a soldier. But strapped to her back was what Ike recognized to be a Nanginata, a scythe- like weapon. One of her arms, Ike noted, was hanging limp by her side, as if broken. It was then that he felt a force of some kind radiating off her, a raw power that could only come from someone of his world.

"_Marth…?"_ he was interrupted by a great roar.

Ranulf's eyes glowed an insane gold as his eyes fell upon this new target, weakened from what seemed like a great battle. Crouching low, he leaped upon the girl, ripping chunks of her hair off. The girl had absolutely no time to react before his claws reached for her exposed throat. Cameron ran forward and grabbed one of Ranulf's claws in a strong grip, trying his hardest to wrench the crazed cat off. Ike knew he only had seconds until Ranulf would wizen up and aim for Cameron's throat instead. Closing his eyes, he tried concentrating again, feeling his ghostly form melt away.

Ike blinked as his vision was soon clouded over with blue cat fur. Trying his best not to sneeze, he wrenched Ranulf off the girl and drew Sigmund the Rapier, the precious blade still lighter than air in his hands. Ranulf shook his head in a daze once before flying at them again.

"Get out of the way!" Ike shouted to the girl, using Sigmund to parry Ranulf's claws.

In the same moment, he noticed how the girl's dark eyes turned ocean blue. A gasp escaped her and a voice he knew all too well passed through her lips.

"Ike!"

The Hero of Tellius whirled around in surprise, "Marth?"

Ranulf took his temporary distraction and immediately ran for the opening Ike had created, sinking his claws onto the one tender spot between his legs. Though tears jumped to Ike's eyes, he was able to hold them back so Marth would not see. Meanwhile, the Prince of Altea was in the process of unbuckling the Nanginata off his back with his guardian's one good arm, fumbling with the leather straps as he did so. Ike managed to wrench Ranulf off just as he was about to draw out blood. Ranulf landed on his feet, as all cats should, not very far away and at once he was ready to attack again. With a great leap Ranulf rushed at Ike, snapping his powerful jaws. Ike's chest heaved up and down as he just barely managed to dodge the enraged cat, his heart racing.

Marth finally unbuckled the Nanginata and rushed forward, careful to keep his weak arm away from the blue cat. Ranulf lunged for his throat, but Marth quickly blocked his sharp teeth with the pole of the Nanginata and delivered a swift kick to Ranulf's stomach. After being winded for just a moment, Ranulf wrenched his teeth away from the pole and landed on his feet once again, his eyes narrowed in hate. Ike ran up to Marth, his chest still heaving. A small smile appeared on Marth's face as he saw his old friend approach, but it quickly turned into a frown as he then whacked Ranulf on the head with the powerful flat of the scythe blade, dazing the cat.

"It's great to see you," Ike panted, giving Marth a slap on the back, "But really? A girl as your guardian? I know Roy and I used to tease you about the girl thing, but…"

"S-Shut up," Marth muttered, a light blush appearing on his cheeks, "This girl, I'll have you know, is a very able fighter and- AHHH!!!!" He rolled out of the way just as Ranulf lunged again.

Ike swiped Sigmund the Rapier at Ranulf's tail as he passed overhead, cutting off a few hairs. "Still, a girl? And I thought Pit was the only one that would have that problem…"

"Having a girl for a guardian is not a problem at all!" Marth insisted, sidestepping as the powerful blue cat came rushing back, "Besides, your second in command was a female! You told me yourself! And let's not forget that old sparring partner of yours… what's her name… Maya or something?"

Ike's jaw stiffened. "Her name was Mia… M- I- A…"

Marth gave a rather distracted nod as he continued to nimbly dodge Ranulf's many attacks. Ike noticed how his chest too seemed to heave in and out, sensing how the energy seemed to drain from his guardian's body by the ton. He sensed his own energy draining away as well, knowing that once his well of energy went out both he and Cameron were doomed. Ranulf seemed to never tire, the crazed gleam in his eyes never wavering. There was only one way out of this fight and it was a way that Ike had hoped to never have to do, especially to an old friend.

Ranulf's feet kicked up dust from the ground, his jaws foaming profusely. Ike tightened his grip on Sigmund, ready to strike when needed. Crouching low to the ground, Ranulf let out the smallest of all growls before leaping at his foe. Sigmund flashed through the air, casting a silver gleam upon all who stood near it. Marth lunged forward at the same time, but he was too far away and too slow to do anything. Using the last of his strength, Ike thrust his sword arm forward, his heart already sinking in guilt and misery. The deadly point of the powerful weapon was three inches, two inches, away from its destination. Tears stung his eyes as the Hero of Tellius thrust his sword deep into Ranulf's kind and loyal heart.

**

Pit and Psyche both watched with widened eyes as the chaos unfolded all around them. One moment, they saw a calm young woman awaiting her time to be hanged. The next, the woman had changed her appearance just like that and was now on a blood lusted rampage.

"_Jeez… are you sure it was a good idea letting her go like that?"_ Psyche asked uncertainly, wincing slightly as a bone rattling cackle filled the air.

A muscle in Pit's jawbone twitched at the thought of him making such a fatal mistake. But he quickly pushed these thoughts aside before his guardian could read them and shrugged.

"Even if we made a mistake, she's pretty weak by the looks of it," he remarked, gesturing to the woman's sluggish movements and how she swayed a bit as she walked, "And that metal leg and arm of hers might be able to pack some serious punch, but look how they're slowing her down… stop worrying so much!"

Before Psyche could answer, a Primid head flew from out of nowhere and slammed against the trunk of a nearby tree, oozing Shadow Bugs. Pit felt the glare of his guardian upon him, almost feeling her as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. A light blush appeared on his cheeks as he realized his mistake of releasing such a terror upon the world, but he remained silent.

"_Oh yeah…"_ Psyche said, slurring her words sarcastically, _"She's a real weakling to be sure!"_

Pit had no time to answer as a blast of light suddenly appeared from nowhere, sending a few more random Primid body parts their way. The young woman was stooped low to the ground, sipping the Shadows Bugs as they flowed from the severed parts of the dead and dying Primids. Her cackling filled the air, chilling Pit's heart to the core. For a brief moment, fear gripped him in an iron hard grasp. But he took a few deep breaths and the fear subsided for the moment. Psyche meanwhile, was too annoyed to be fearful.

Both watched as Primid upon Primid rushed at her, assuming she was weak because of her slow movements. As they placed their hands upon her, the woman's eyes glowed deep red and she used the nails on her metal right arm to rip the green coverings right off the Primids that came at her and throw them somewhere else.

Pit's eyes traveled to the balcony where he had seen Tabuu standing. Not to his surprise, the blue man had left the place, possibly to go run and cower behind his precious army. In spite of himself, Pit smirked. Tabuu was such a coward.

"_Here comes backup!" _Psyche yelled, snapping Pit from his thoughts.

Pit looked up at the courtyard of the Smash Mansion once again. The first thing he saw was how the woman's chest heaved up and down, as if she had exhausted herself greatly through her sluggish, yet powerful fighting moves. Indeed as Shadow Bugs dripped from her lips, he saw that her eyes no longer held as much as the energetically insane spark he had noticed when she first transformed into this person. She was wobbling, on the verge of collapsing when they appeared.

Three Smashers, all of them quite powerful, appeared to the Primid's aid. Samus, Metaknight, and Link took up their stance and faced the completely drained young woman, ready to strike. Her pained cries ripped through the air as Metaknight tore at her skin with his sword, Samus blasted away with her powerful gun, and Link used all the tools he seemed to keep in his hat to weaken and eventually pulverize her.

Though he sensed the fear of the young woman still deep within him, something tugged at Pit's conscience, telling him that he needed to help the woman before she was obliterated. Frowning in confusion, he began wondering just why he should help the woman if her bloodlust rampage had been so horrible and terrifying. She was a scourge to the Smash World, a threat who could get in the way of both the guardians and Tabuu. She needed to be destroyed for all these reasons, yet Pit somehow felt that he needed to jump in and save her. He squatted there, unable to decide while Psyche seemed to pace back and forth within his mind. A single familiar phrase sparked Pit's decision, stirring him into action. He grabbed his bow and leaped out into the light as the single phrase still echoed in his ears.

"What's the matter, scared?"

**

"_Are you sure you'll be alright fighting those three?"_ Heather asked worriedly, _"You aren't used to my body yet and they're all quite powerful Smashers…"_

Wolf smirked, tossing Heather's black and red hair over one shoulder as he prepared himself for attack. "Heather Wolfon, if there's one thing you should know about me it's this… Wolf O' Donnell is _always_ ready for anything!"

Metaknight drilled towards him at lightning speed, transforming into a giant blur as he approached. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, Wolf began calculating in his head the speed of the Star Warrior's attack as well as the trajectory and the precision. Though Heather's confused thoughts occasionally got in the way, he finally got his numbers and using Heather's metal clad right arm, he lunged forward and grabbed a point at the very center of the spinning mass of black and silver.

Galaxia appeared in his hand. Wolf saw the knight's unblinking yellow eyes widen in surprise at this sudden turn of events, his smirk only widening as he saw this. Using his advantage, Wolf hurled the Star Warrior towards the gallows where Heather had once been hung. Just as he was about to crash into the strong wooden poles, Metaknight unfurled his wings just in time and used them to cushion his landing.

"_Not too bad,"_ Heather commented, a tiny hint of impressiveness in her voice.

Wolf grinned in response. "You're not a bad fighter yourse-"

He was interrupted by a quick succession of missiles from Samus, followed by a whole flurry of arrows from Link's bow. Wolf prepared himself for a quick dodge and just as the missiles and arrows were about to touch him, he jumped sideways, hoping to dodge the weapons with a lightning fast speed like he was used to in his own body. But he was too slow. Though he was able to dodge the missiles, the arrows were another thing entirely. The heads of the arrows bit as his skin, occasionally sailing over his head or straight at his heart. Though most of the fatal arrows bounced of his metal arm and leg, the others found places such as exposed parts of his other arm to attack. He cursed himself in his mind for allowing this to happen. Heather's body was not built for speed as his once was. She was more built for defense if anything else.

"_Wolf, are you alright?!?"_ Heather asked, trying her best to keep calm in this time of chaos.

"I'm fine!" Wolf grunted, struggling to get up only to be hit by another volley of arrows, "Just fine…"

Then he heard it. The dreaded sound of Metaknight's battle cry as he attacked. Wolf had been so distracted with Link's arrows that he did not notice as Metaknight rushed forward with his powerful drill attack, ready to slice both Smasher and guardian right in half. He had no time to make the calculations in his head, to even dodge as he saw the horrible shape approaching at the speed of light. His life flashed before his eyes, his heart racing at the speed of sound. He had no time to dodge, no time to stop the impending death that was thrusting itself upon him. He closed his eyes and awaited the final blow.

"THE FIGHT IS ON!!!"

The sound of metal against metal could be heard as Wolf shook slightly with fear. When the sounds of Metaknight's battle cry was stopped, he opened his eyes, wondering what had happened. Metaknight was dueling someone, his moves as quick as his sword. Amazingly, the person was able to block his many moves while dealing some of their own in between.

The person was a girl, a young teen by the looks of her. She was extremely thin, not at all in fighting shape and clothed in ill- fitting rags. Her long brown hair flew wild all around her, her bare feet were covered in grime and muck. In her hands she held twin gold blades, using them to fight and block as necessary. But what was her most prominent feature had to be her eyes, colored a stunning bright blue despite her dark looks. She grunted as she fought, her blows weakening ever so slightly under Metaknight's powerful attacks.

A volley of arrows loosed themselves from Link's bow. A few more missiles were fired from Samus. But the girl was too busy fighting with Metaknight to take notice.

"_You have to help her!"_ Heather shouted, worry filling her every word.

As if by instinct, Wolf propelled himself forward and threw himself between the arrows and missiles. He heard the girl gasp in surprise as he thudded to the ground, arrows sticking out of him like porcupine needles. Though he was thankful that Heather's body was quite durable, the pain was unbearable.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked, a male voice resonating from her vocal chords.

Wolf knew that voice. "P-Pit?"

"That's me!" Pit said quickly before blocking a few more of Metaknight's blows, "The one and only!"

Pit ducked as another few thousand arrows appeared from nowhere, allowing them to hit the Star Warrior. Though most bounced off his mask, a few managed to lodge themselves into the chinks of Metaknight's mask and a few even found his eyes. With a roar of pain, the blinded Star Warrior spiraled out of control, headed right for Link and Samus.

Pit stooped down and grabbed Wolf, buckling slightly as his guardian lacked strength in her arms. "It's good to see you again… you're stuck with a girl too?"

"_Hey!"_ Psyche said indignantly.

Under normal circumstances, Wolf would have not allowed himself to be held in this fashion, as it made him seem weak. But he allowed the angel to drag his body out of the way as the fight between the blinded Metaknight and the two Smashers unfolded. Pit had enough energy left in him to just barely drag Wolf into a clearing hidden within the woods before he collapsed onto the soft grass and closed his eyes.

"_That was very brave of you," _Heather said as Wolf too collapsed onto the grass, _"Sacrificing yourself for her and all of that…"_

Wolf could feel his consciousness slipping, but he held on just long enough to talk to his guardian just a bit more. Taking a deep breath, he staggered to his feet and walked over to a tree and began grabbing the leaves off of it, using them to wipe off the blood that covered Heather's body. He then noticed three deep gashes on her left arm, all of them oozing blood.

"Looks like you have three new scars," he remarked quietly, still mopping up the blood.

In his mind, he could practically see Heather give him a sad smile. _"Yes… I suppose so…"_

"So on the subject of how brave I was…" he began lightly.

Heather nodded. _"Yes. You could've let her take all those arrows, yet you came in and threw yourself in front of her. I don't care what the legends say about you… you're such a selfless person…"_

Wolf threw away the leaf he was using and sighed again, gazing up into the sky. "Yeah, well… don't expect it to happen again. I am a bad guy after all…"

Deep within his mind, Heather shook her head though he did not notice. He did not notice as well when she spoke one last time, right before he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to embrace him.

"_Wolf O' Donnell, just because you're a bad guy doesn't mean you can do some good for the world…"_

**

"What!?! You dare defy me!?!?"

Though his father's voice was loud enough to scare anyone, Rinku was juts barely able to keep him from flinching at the sharply accented voice of his father. "Defy? Nay, father. You gave me a choice and I chose to let him live…"

Though Link was impressed at how calmly his guardian was able to handle the situation, he feared for him as well. Sorius looked just about ready to draw his sword and kill his son on the spot. Link frowned as he saw the corrupted Master Sword sticking out of Sorius's sheathe, wondering how on earth a heart as evil as the Usurper King's was able to touch the Blade of Evil's Bane. Though he wished nothing more than to wonder some more about these thoughts, he knew he had to concentrate on that later and turned his attention back to the Usurper King.

"He was attempting to murder you!" Sorius shouted angrily, his face beet red, "To kill you! To rid Hyrule of its one and only heir to the throne! Does none of this matter to you!?!"

Rinku blinked once at the sharp way his father had said this, but soon regained his composure and faced his father head on. "He was not in any attempt to murder me, I assure you. I he wished to murder me, he would have done it the old fashioned way. Poison in a cup is a good way to kill someone, I heard…"

"Like how you 'accidentally' murdered your own mother?" Sorius sneered, "And then you end up running away! What kind of cowardly prince are you? Hyrule shall rot under your reign unless you toughen up and learn that bloodshed is necessary when you must rule over a great kingdom."

Link felt Rinku's teeth clench together at the mention of how his mother had died. For the briefest moment, melancholy seeped its way into Rinku's mind, reminding him of his horrible crime against the goddesses. Sorius seemed to notice this as well as he deep yellow eyes narrowed into slits of delight and he leaned forward, his deep voice slowly working its way into Rinku's heart.

"Indeed," he whispered, "Had it not been for me stepping in, you would have the goddesses hounding you about your poor mother for the rest of your life… do you not see how much I've done for you and what little I ask in return? A mere life for penance is all it takes. Did King Daphnes ever do this? No! He merely sat back and watched as many went about their lives without the penance they needed. He damned many innocent, pure souls to the very pits of Din's Fire because he never offered any form of penance…"

Link sensed Sorius's words leaking their way into Rinku's mind, slowly corrupting it once again. The Chosen Hero did his best to beat back a few words, but they simply kept seeping in, darkening the corridors of his mind. Link tried desperately to help his guardian, to make him see the light. Rinku, he knew, was desperately fighting as well, but it was as if Sorius had sprinkled a magical spell in his words as they simply kept coming and coming. Their influence was slowly taking over and before Link's eyes, all the hard work he had done to get his guardian's mind back where it belonged slowly began to decay.

"_This can't end like this!"_ he shouted angrily, using his fists to beat back the influence of Sorius, _"Not after what Cimar risked to get him back… not after those hours upon hours of convincing… not after so many lives were lost! It can't… RINKU!!!!"_

Then he felt it, a gentle pulse in his left hand. The pulse was rhythmic and soothing, yet it filled him with power beyond his dreams. Link's quickly depleting courage was born anew and filled him, seeping into all the cracks of his mind. He saw a golden light seeping into Rinku's mind, the dark shadows of Sorius's influence slowly melting away as the light approached. With a small cry of effort, Link pushed the shadows back from whence they came, watching as Rinku's mind was rendered pure once more. He then watched as the golden light seemed to seep its way into his guardian's veins, filling him and giving him power beyond all imagination.

"No!" Rinku shouted sharply, "No, no, NO!!!"

Sorius was taken aback by the boy's sudden outburst, but he quickly regained himself. "No? Do you not seek penance, my son?"

"Penance?" Rinku spat, "So I repent for killing a perso-"

"Your _mother_!" Sorius growled emphatically, "Your own flesh and blood!"

"For killing my mother!" Rinku corrected, his eyes shining with hate, "For killing my _mother_ by killing another person?"

Before Sorius could answer, Izia walked in, wringing his hands and smiling gleefully. After bowing to both the King and Prince, he snapped his fingers and a guard came in dragging something using chains. The thing on the other end seemed to refuse to cooperate, but the sound of a whip could be heard before two little boys were forced in, both with these chains wrapped securely around their wrists.

Link gasped in surprise and disgust at how these boys were treated. Both seemed to be about the same age, eight at least, and identical in many ways. Both had short black hair and wide brown eyes, almond shaped and filled with both fear and defiance. One of them wore a blue earring on one ear as well as a red and blue glitter covered shirt and tight black pants. The other one, who did not possess an earring, wore a red and green glitter covered shirt and tight black pants. Both of their bodies were absolutely covered in deep scars and the boy who did not wear an earring also had numerous tattoos of various things all over his body.

Izia smiled malevolently before taking out a scroll of paper and unfurling it. "My Lord Sorius and Prince Rinku, I have brought before you today two entertainers for your enjoyment."

Sorius leaned back on his throne, gesturing to the throne next to him for Rinku to sit in. Link's guardian recoiled in disgust at the seat of power he knew he did not deserve and instead chose to take a seat on the floor, far away from his father. If either Sorius or Izia noticed his behavior, they did not show any signs. Izia cleared his throat.

"These are two twin boys who possess great entertainment methods, captured from Kakariko Village and brought here before you! This one," he said, gesturing to the boy with the blue earring, "Is named Pichn! The other is named Picho! Should either of them fail to please you, merely give the word and they will both be burned at the stake!"

Link noticed that for a brief moment, he saw fear flash behind the boys' eyes. But this fear soon gave way to nothing but pure defiance as the twins gazed upon Sorius with utter hate. For a moment, the eyes of Pichn flickered towards Rinku and deep within them there seemed to be a plea for help from him. But he soon focused his gaze back on the man before him, his anger radiating off of him in waves. Picho remained focused on the Usurper King his hands curled up into fists.

Sorius smiled, revealing his dirty yellow teeth. "Excellent, Izia… yes, those boys would make lovely entertainment…"

Izia bowed before backing away, shooting a dark glare at Rinku as he went. Rinku's anger rose, but it was through Link's intervention that he did not spring up and attack the horrid man right then and there. He decided to deal with him later.

Sorius leaned forward in his seat, leering at the two boys who did not even flinch under his gaze. "So boys… what kind of entertainment do you bring to me today?"

"How about your face shoved into some goat crap and covered in red ants?" Picho spat.

"Or maybe your precious little treasure trove burned to cinders?" Pichn added, once again flashing a tiny pleading look at Hyrule's Prince.

Link winced slightly as Sorius's bone chilling laughter filled the air, rattling the young man's every bone. He watched in horror and disgust as the Usurper King snapped his finger at a guard standing near the boys. Quick as lightning, a whip lashed out, catching both boys across their shoulders. Fear bubbled up from deep within the Hylian as he watched the horrible leather object flick up and down, lashing itself upon the two entertainers.

They fell to their knees with screams of pain erupting from their throats, unable to stop the unbearable pain that this weapon of destruction brought. Blood began pouring down the twins' shoulders, soaking the ground in the horrifying crimson fluid. Picho threw himself over Pichn, shielding his brother from the whip with his own back as he took the pain of every single lashing.

Neither Link nor his guardian could take it anymore. Leaping to his feet, Rinku immediately dashed up to the guard and tore the whip from his hands throwing it away. The guard gave a cry of surprise as his lash was taken away, taking a few steps back. Rinku's breath came in small, pained puffs as he saw how the two boys raised their heads to look at him, as if thanking him for freeing them from their torment.

"Enough!" Rinku panted, "They've had enough!"

Rather than being angered at his son's outburst, Sorius seemed quite pleased with it, as if he had been waiting for that to happen. "Very well. If the boys merely take the time to entertain the two of us, they shall not need to feel the sting of the whip across their backs. However, should they fail, they shall receive a punishment worse, much worse than a mere whipping…"

**

He was horrified. Being nothing more than a mere clump of pink gas, he was absolutely powerless to stop the horrible whip as it lashed out onto the shoulders of the two boys in front of him. Next to him, the small cloud of yellow gas that had been his companion for the long journey to this land known as Hyrule shuddered as every lashing drew more blood from the boys' shoulders.

"_I-It's… it's so… so cruel…"_ he whispered, shuddering some more as the cries of the boys filled the hall, _"So, so cruel…"_

"_Ness, are you alright?"_ the pink gas asked with concern.

Ness's cloud of smoke bobbed up and down, as if the little PSI master was nodding. _"Y-Yeah… I guess…"_

The pink smoke frowned as he saw the whip flick up and down, each time flinging flecks of blood up in the air. _"That looks painful…"_

"_Painful? Of course it's painful!"_ Ness said indignantly, _"I don't know what it was like over in Dreamland, Kirby, but being whipped is probably the most painful punishment you can receive from anyone!"_

Kirby's frown only deepened as his confusion rose. _"So… does that mean you'll get whipped if you don't cook tasty food?"_

Ness rolled his eyes. _"If you're really that cruel, then yes."_

"_Sounds like my kind of punishment…"_ Kirby mumbled. After catching the strange look Ness was giving him, he quickly corrected his mistake. _"But it would only be my kind of punishment if I was… if I was King Dedede! Yeah! But since I'm not King Dedede, I won't give that punishment out to anyone!"_

Before Ness could react to this comment, a sudden movement caught his eye. A young man he had not noticed before had sprung to his feet and dashed over to the guard who held the whip, ripping it out of his hand. After flinging it in a random direction he began to shout angrily at the dark man who sat on the throne, his voice filled with hate. Though this sudden outburst was quite interesting to Ness, Kirby had instead turned his attention to the two boys.

They were both identical twins in many ways as they were both scar covered and had the exact same facial features. The few differences between them were that they wore different colored clothes and one of them had tattoos while the other wore a single blue earring. Kirby felt a surge of pity and concern as the twin with the tattoos gently lifted himself off of his brother, as he had been shielding him during the whipping. His brother, meanwhile, was using a torn cloth he got from somewhere unknown to wipe off the blood that flowed in torrents off of his sibling's back.

"_Hey Ness… check those two out…"_ the pink puffball said distractedly, gesturing to the two boys, _"Look at how they help each other out and everything…"_

Ness shifted his attention to the two boys, watching as they cleaned themselves up and stood at attention as the dark man on the throne spoke to them. _"By the looks of things, they've been through a lot together…"_

"_Mm…"_ Kirby agreed, _"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_

Ness raised a single eyebrow, but before he could answer, Kirby was gone. Frowning in confusion, he proceeded to follow the pink trail of smoke the puffball had become. He watched as Kirby floated right up to the boy with the blue earring and in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Blinking in surprise, Ness whirled around to look for the puffball to no avail. Kirby had disappeared.

"_Kirby?"_ he called, his voice shaking with worry, _"Hey, where are ya, buddy?"_

When no answer came, he turned back to the two boys. The Denizen of Dreamland had disappeared when he floated up to the ear of the boy with the blue earring. His ghostly form shook with nervousness as he approached the ear of the boy with the tattoos upon him, fear welling up inside him. Ever so slowly, he inched closer and closer to the boy's ear, his tension rising with every passing second. Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled in, as if the boy's ear had become a vacuum. Though he struggled against this unexpected force, he was sucked straight into the boy's ear, traveling through deep dark corridors until he was finally pushed out right into the heart of the boy's mind.

The first thing he saw as he entered was the giant joke book. Standing what seemed like hundreds of feet tall, its pages were filled with a great many jokes and pranks. What was more, he saw a great many things that one would only find in a joke shop. Firecrackers and flying saucers flew through the air in the mind of this boy, fake dog poop and shaving cream littered the floor. Just from looking at the joke book, Ness was able to discover one thing about his new guardian: he was a major joker.

Meanwhile, Kirby was having the time of his life in his guardian's mind. Aside from the many guns that lined the walls of his mind, there was one and only one thing that truly caught the pink puffball's attention: the food. In the very center of the boy's mind, there was a great table simply heaped with food. It didn't take the puffball long to open his ghostly mouth to suck up this food with the force of a great vacuum, never allowing a single crumb to escape him. When the table was emptied, it refilled itself and the process began again. However, it also didn't take long for the owner of the mind he inhabited to realize what was happening.

With a slight flinch of surprise, the boy struggled to keep his words from shaking with fear as he spoke. "Wh- Who… Who are you…?"

Kirby was caught off guard, causing him to choke a bit on a piece of food. After spitting it out, he cleared his throat and smiled. _"Hello! I'm Kirby!"_

The boy crinkled his brow in confusion. "Kirby? What a Kirby?"

He did not notice the strange look his brother was giving him as he spoke, being too absorbed in this strange event to pay attention. He even ignored the small conversation Sorius and Prince Rinku were having at the moment.

"_I'm Kirby!"_ the puffball said cheerfully, _"That's my name!"_

The boy's frown deepened as he registered this. "Kirby's your name? What does it mean?"

In his mind, the Dreamland Warrior shrugged. _"Dunno… what's you name?"_

"I… I'm Pichn…" he said uncertainly, "Have you always lived… up there?"

"_Nope!"_ Kirby replied, _"I just got in here about a minute ago. You have really good food up here in your mind!"_

Pichn raised a confused eyebrow, but chose not to question the puffball. "Uh… thanks? I like food…"

"_So do I!"_ Kirby exclaimed, _"I have the feeling that we're going to get along just great!"_

For the first time in a long time, Pichn smiled. "Yeah! I bet we're going to make an _awesome_ team!"

At the same time, Ness chose to strike up a conversation with his guardian, choosing his words with care. _"Um… hi…"_

His guardian jumped about a foot in the air in surprise at the sound of the small voice in his head. "Who's there?"

"_The name's Ness,"_ the boy with PSI powers said conversationally, _"I'm a former Smasher and denizen of Onette."_

The boy's eyes narrowed in confusion. "I'm… I'm Picho, also known as Joker on stage…"

"_On stage?"_

"I'm an entertainer," he explained, "My bro, Pichn, and I used to travel around Hyrule entertaining people and such… that is, until we got captured by a bunch of guards and brought here."

Before Ness could reply, Sorius's cold voice broke through, chilling everyone to the very bone. "If you two boys are finished mumbling to yourselves, it is time that you entertain me, my son, and of course, the rest of the court."

As if on cue, the great oak doors burst open at the very back of the throne room and many lords and ladies entered, all of them haughty looking and possessing cruel, sharp features. The ladies all had beak like noses and were dressed in the gaudiest fashions, all of them sniffing in disgust as they passed the boys. The gentlemen were just as bad, if not worse. All of them were quite over dressed and ignored the boys as if they were nothing more than mere specks of dust. Once the entire court had gathered, Sorius clapped his hand together and announced that they were to be entertained by two boys who claimed to be the greatest entertainers in the land. A cruel laugh bubbled up from all the mouths of those in the audience at these words, followed by sneers and jeers.

Ness's blood boiled at these insults, as did Picho's. But they were just barely able to restrain themselves from leaping at the nearest lady and seeing just how much they could dirty her horribly tacky dress. Kirby and Picho, on the other hand, ignored all of this and noticed that Prince Rinku seemed to step deep into the shadows, with only his sharp blue eyes glittering in the light.

"What are you two waiting for?" Sorius asked, his eyes shining maliciously, "Entertain us, boys!"

Sweat poured down the boys' foreheads at these words, their hearts hammering in fear. They both knew that if they failed to entertain these people, it could mean a fate much worse than a beating for them. Picho caught his brother's eye and he knew that he was the one that was to start this dangerous show. Ness quickly glanced at the large joke book in his guardian's mind and randomly chose a joke from out of it.

"_The chicken one!"_ he said, _"Do the chicken one!"_

"The chicken one's stupid," Picho hissed back, his knees shaking slightly.

"Well?" one of the posh gentlemen asked, sniffing disdainfully, "We're waiting you two!"

Picho cleared his throat and put on a fake smile, unable to contain his fear. "Uh… um… why did the chicken cross the road?"

"To get fed, plucked, slaughtered, chopped up, and served in my dinner," a lady replied, "Such a pathetic excuse for an opening act, if you ask me."

While the court murmured their agreement, Ness continued to search through the joke book. _"Do… do the puppy one?"_

"Why did the puppy go to the hair salon?"

"To get shaved, slaughtered, boiled, fried, baked, then served for lunch," another lady sniffed, "This 'entertainment' of which you speak of is nothing more than some pathetic dirt off the street! I am surprised at you, King Sorius!"

Sorius's malicious smile only widened as the crowd murmured their assent, his hand already moving towards the sword in his sheathe. Picho shot a desperate look at his brother, whose mind immediately began racing. Kirby pitched forth an idea of his own, which caused him to leave the mind of Pichn for a brief moment to relate this to Ness, who then told Picho. Clearing his throat, Pichn stepped forward and faced the crowd.

"I, Pichn, shall now like to present to you our _real_ act!" he said.

"_Are you sure you're up to this?"_ Kirby asked.

"I shall now jump through… the ring of fire!" Pichn announced, ignoring Kirby's question.

When nothing happened, he shot a small glare at his brother, who was lost in his own thoughts. Upon seeing the glare, Picho jumped up a bit and readied his hands. Pichn turned back to the crowd and repeated what he had said.

"THE RING OF FIRE!!!"

"What do I say?" Picho mumbled to Ness.

"_PK FIRE!!!"_

"PK FIRE!!!!" the boy shouted, his eyes widening in awe as a blast of fire shot out of his hand, forming a ring in the center of the room.

The crowd had only seconds to be impressed by this spectacle as Pichn then dashed forward and flipped right through the ring, landing on both feet. A few lords and ladies clapped as the boy bowed and grinned. The two boys proceeded to then amaze the crowd with a great number of tricks, each one more wonder than the last. After Picho used PK Freeze to create a beautiful ice sculpture of the Triforce, Sorius suddenly shot up, his face filled with rage.

"Seize them!" he bellowed, "For they are users of witchcraft!"

The effect of his words was immediate. All in one movement, the guards stationed around the hall had rushed upon the two boys, grabbing them both by the shoulders. Cries of surprise escaped them as both were dragged away. Deeper and deeper into the castle they were dragged until they were finally thrown into what they knew to be a dungeon cell, the hard stone floor reopening gashes they had received not long ago.

"_Are you okay?"_ Kirby shouted, his eyes widening in fear as blood poured out of Pichn's nose.

"_That was harsh!"_ Ness exclaimed, wincing as the cell door clanged shut.

Picho grabbed the bars with both hands and shook them, trying to see if they would fall out in his hands. Though extremely rusty, the hard iron bars held strong and the boy collapsed in exhaustion a few minutes later. Pichn used his shirt to clean up the blood that flowed freely out of his nose as he huddled closer to his brother, worry filling his eyes.

"What's going to happen to us, Picho?" he asked his brother fearfully, unable to keep his voice from shaking.

Picho shook his head in shame, tears pricking his eyes. "I… I dunno… but accusing us of witchcraft… nothing good ever comes from that…"

"Do you think they'll burn us at the stake?"

"I don't know, bro… I just don't know…"

**

Cimar frowned in confusion as he fingered the pure white robe he had been forced to put on. As a Disciple of Order, he had read about a great many things happening to those who were caught sneaking into Hyrule Castle under suspicious circumstances. Hanging, for example, had occurred many times over the years. Another punishment for sneaking around the castle could be a week in the torture chamber. If the king was in a good mood, the offender would get several months of cleaning up the trash that littered the Zora River. Under Sorius's reign thus far, the punishments had gone as far as being skinned alive. But being given a comfortable white robe to wear and being placed in a luxurious wing of the castle was not part of the usual repertoire.

A soft knock on his door announced the arrival of a servant. Cimar ignored this knock and collapsed on the bed that was placed in the room for him, still confused as to why he was placed in this situation.

"I was caught sneaking… wasn't I?" he asked, "I thought punishments were a lot more… harsh than this…"

"_Indeed, they're supposed to be," _Zelda replied, _"Back in my day, my father would hang anyone who dared sneak around the castle, unless they had a valid enough reason…"_

Before Cimar could answer, another knock sounded, this time much more rapt and urgent. After standing up, Cimar answered the door to reveal the figure of a rather small little man with accented features. He jittered a great deal in his presence and Zelda's guardian could've sworn that once or twice he would cackle to himself as he bustled around. Following this man was a maid who carried a silver tray with a single golden goblet upon it. The goblet was wrought from the finest gold, inlaid with large sapphires. The goblet only increased the confusion swimming in Cimar's mind, but he said nothing.

"Cimar of Turalis?" the little man asked, locking his deep black eyes with Cimar's sky blue ones.

"That is correct," he answered, wondering why he was unable to pull his eyes away from the man's.

His eyes seemed to hold some sort of hypnotic power, a strange force that made anyone who looked in it unable to look away. Cimar's eyes were drawn to the deep black color and once he was locked in the man's gaze, he was rendered completely unable to pull away. He felt as if his very mind was being surrounded in darkness, clouding his reasoning and his logical thinking.

Within his mind, Zelda struggled to keep control of her senses, the black influence of the man's eyes seeping its way into Cimar's mind. But the darkness was too strong and it did not take long for it to engulf the Hylian princess. She was reduced to a mere flicker in the blackness, a tiny flame in the vast oblivion.

"_Cimar! Cimar, don't give in!"_ she begged, her voice no louder than a whisper in his mind.

"You have been a very naughty boy," the man said, a smiling curling at the corners of his lips.

Cimar suddenly felt the urge to agree with him as he continued to gaze into the blackness of his eyes. Though something deep within him, perhaps the voice of a woman, told him not to, the voice was so faint, so very, very faint…

"Indeed…" he said, still unable to tears his gaze away.

"A very, very naughty boy," the man chided, "And do you know what naughty boys need? A naughty punishment…"

"_Cimar…"_ Zelda whispered, her form refusing to give up, _"Cimar… wake up! WAKE UP!!!"_

She felt him pushing her away, as if she were a mere thought. But then she realized that that was what she was at the moment: a mere thought. He easily pushed her away. The darkness wrapped around the princess like a veil, causing her to shiver and weaken. She felt her very essence begin to fade as the influence of those strange and horrifying eyes slowly took over the mind of her guardian.

"_Cimar…"_ she whispered, buckling under the weight of the darkness, _"Cimar… please…"_

"So I'm going to give you a naughty punishment," the man said, "Is that okay with you?"

Cimar nodded absentmindedly, still unable to tear his gaze from the man's eyes. "Yes…"

A smile broke out on the man's thin face as he heard these words. With a quick gesture to the maid, he brought forward the chalice he had brought with him and held it up to the young man's face.

"Drink up, naughty boy!" he ordered maliciously, "Drink up, drink up!"  
As if by instinct, Cimar took this drink in his hand and raised it to his lips, ready to take the first sip. But he hesitated as the cold metal of the goblet touched his lips, as if there was a voice telling him not to do it. It was very, very faint, almost inaudible. Frowning in confusion, he lowered the goblet for his a second before raising it up again, all worry vanished from his mind. He raised the cup as if in a toast and brought it to his lips.

"_Cimar! Cimar…"_ Zelda croaked weakly, her form shimmering.

But it was to no avail as much of her guardian's mind had been taken by the shadows of mesmerism, so dark that there was almost no way to get it back. But she knew she had to get it back or Hyrule would fall. In a final effort, she called upon her hero, the man who would give his life to fulfill her wishes. Summoning her voice one last time, she called for him.

"_L-Link… Link… we need you…"_

**

Cold hearted. They called him cold hearted because of his aloofness. He set himself apart from most of the other Smashers and they called him cold hearted. If only they understood.

He had never truly understood why he would separate himself from social gatherings in general. They never interested him and they were only an excuse for him to completely embarrass himself in front of thousands of people. But these past hundred years made him yearn for gatherings such as these, wish he could turn back time and change everything.

It had been a lonely hundred years. Even in his jar he never spoke to anyone, being too ashamed to find his voice. When his little rival would ask him a question, he would ignore it completely and simply sit there. Even when close friends, such as a certain bounty huntress, would talk to him, he remained aloof.

But it was because he was ashamed. He had been one of the first to fall under Tabuu's might. He, one of the most feared fighters, had been swatted aside like a fly when he went up against the Lord of Subspace. His very form shook with anger as he remembered that fateful day, the day when he experienced his greatest loss by a man he had sworn never to lose to.

As this trail of navy blue smoke flew over familiar scenery, he could not help but wish he could turn back time. He had left this world, in a way, without truly opening up to the citizens of Smashville. When they saw him on one side of the street, they would immediately cross over to the other side. He was alone.

Smash Mansion appeared in the distance. The Smasher set his jaw and narrowed his eyes as he saw this spectacle, now warped into a palace fit for Tabuu. He was home.

**Wow… it's amazing what can happen when you wake up one Saturday morning and just sit in bed and play darts. That thing with Cimar **_**did not**_** go as I planned it to be… but I love it! :D**

**Bye bye! Seeya next chappie! **


	12. Wrath

Wrath, Heir to the Throne

**Alright guys, sorry about taking forever to update. I was working on my entry for Pikana's contest. But now that that's done, I can focus on this fic! :D **

**Special thanks to TwilightBlayderJulz for being my beta reader and Wrath Draconian for being the official artist for this story!**

**Disclaimer: HYAH!!! AAAHH!!! GAH SKRAAAAAA!!!! EEEHHHHH AAAAAHHHH!!!! HYAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!**

**Note: That was Link speak**

She stepped out of the shadows. Anger and betrayal filled Golfer's mind as she came forward, a feeling so close to hate that even Samus was filled with fear. No mortal should be filled with such hatred for another, a woman especially. It was a dangerous thing, powerful enough to destroy lives and rip great kingdoms to shreds. It was a great weapon and a dangerous enemy all at once. It was just the thing that could destroy the Smash World even more than it had been destroyed already. Fear, distrust and hatred… the three things that made up the unholy triangle.

Her arm was still wrapped securely around Pikana as she stepped out, ignoring the little guardian as she tried to squirm her way free. Pikachu's mind raced in fear as this new foe revealed herself, his concern for both Pikana and Golfer rising. He struggled to gain a good look at his captor.

She was a fierce looking young woman to be sure, with hair black as night and eyes bright as day. Tall and stately, she had luminous milk white skin and a soft complexion, emphasizing her dark hair and eyes. But what truly drew the eye to her were the two jet black wings that sprouted from her shoulders, scaly and menacing like that of a dragon's. It occurred to Pikachu that this young woman was not truly human. Perhaps half dragon?

One of her slim arms was wrapped around Pikana's waist, pinning the girl's arms to her sides. The other hand was clamped upon the Pokemon's mouth, rendering her unable to speak or scream. She used her wings to keep her balance upon the tree branch as she and Golfer glared at each other, her dark eyes shining.

Meanwhile, Samus did her best to help her guardian restrain the feelings of intense dislike bubbling up within him.

"_Calm down! She can be a potential ally…"_

"Potential ally my a--." Golfer muttered.

The winged girl smiled at him and glanced down at the Pikachu held securely in her arms.

"I see you've made some new friends since we last saw each other, Golfer..."

"Traca," Golfer spat, "What do you want?"

Traca looked hurt by his harsh words, and for a moment, Samus felt a surge of pity for the young girl.

"I was just flying over this place and just happened to see my old pal… what's so wrong about stopping and saying 'hi'?"

Golfer's eyes darted from Traca's long face to Pikachu's guardian, who was still locked securely in her arms.

"Your way of saying 'hi' scares me a bit…"

A small guilty smile and a shrug escaped her.

"Hey, can't blame a girl for not wanting to get chopped up, fried, and served shish kebab style, right?"

Pikachu felt a slight flash of annoyance glimmer in Pikana's mind. It wasn't long before he sensed her trying to tap into the round red sacs of her cheeks, trying to access the unbelievable amount of energy stored therein. Electricity crackled, sparks flew, and the power of lightning was unleashed.

"CHUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!"

Almost at once Traca was engulfed in crackling electricity, the powerful sparks sending surges of pain through her veins. With a scream of pain and surprise, she dropped Pikana and she herself tumbled to the ground below, electricity burning her wings. Pikana leaped up and rolled to one side just as the Primids sprang upon them. They headed first for Traca, weakened as she was and leaped upon her, tearing at her wings. The girl did her best to beat them away to no avail, her eyes watering as the beam sword of a Primid sliced a hole in her wing.

"_Watch out!"_ Pikachu shouted as a Primid grabbed at Pikana's tail from behind.

Pikana whirled around and gave the Primid a hard slap to the face.

"Hey! Don't you know how rude it is to touch a girl's butt?"

When she was answered by nothing more than a few mere gurgles, she aimed a swift tail whip at him and watched in satisfaction as her pocket knife transformed into her beloved chainsaw.

"EAT CHAINY, PERVERT!!!!!"

"_What did he say?"_ Pikachu asked, curiosity overcoming him as a few Primids were sliced to shreds.

Pikana scowled.

"He said I have a nice ass! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!!!!"

Samus watched in horror as the two women were ambushed, one of them unable to protect herself. She noticed how Traca seemed to grope for a small golden stone hanging around her neck, trying to touch the stone. But her hand was always blocked from touching the stone by a Primid or some other obstacle. Her sharp temper rose when Golfer made no move to help them, merely sitting back and watching as the fighting wore on.

"_And just what do you think you're doing?"_ she demanded as he began making a new cast out of leaves.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked calmly, "I'm watching an epic battle!"

"_Watching?!? You should be fighting down there!"_ she scolded, _"What kind of hunter are you if you don't help others in need?"_

"A hunter who's too lazy to die," he replied with a shrug, "They're both strong. They can handle themselves…"

But he was wrong. Though Pikana did everything she could to help Traca, she was in a situation of her own. The Primids had wizened up to her fighting style, to her slightly random movements that normally slew at least ten at a time. They dodged when necessary and struck with such a brute force that they knocked Chainy right out of her hands. Lacking the energy to unleash any more electricity, Pikana simply charged at them and attacked with her claws and teeth.

"BLECH!!!!" she yelled as she bit off the arm of a Primid, "What are you guys made of, poop?"

She was answered by a few more gurgles. Upon hearing their response, her face contorted in horror and she staggered back. The Primids came closer to her, the foul stench of Subspace radiating off them in waves. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Traca, crushed under the weight of at least fifty Primids, her wings being the only part not yet buried. At that moment, a Primid with a beam sword was hacking away at them, as if trying to chop them right off.

For the first time in her life, Pikana felt fear well up within her. Fear clutched at her heart with an iron grip, chilling her to the very bone. The glowing red eyes of the Primids seemed to surround her, digging right into her very soul. She was paralyzed with fear, unable to move a muscle because of those horrible red eyes. The eyes that spelled her own death right before her.

"_Pikana!"_ Pikachu cried desperately, _"Pikana!!! Can you hear me? SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!"_

But she could not hear him, her fear overcoming what little reason she had left after years in the asylum. Golfer saw this and out of sheer instinct, reached for a branch and prepared himself for attack. For a brief moment, Samus felt hope as her guardian was ready to leap into action. But just as suddenly, his hand closed tightly around the branch and released it. He would not fight.

Samus saw the conflict. His mind was fighting against his heart, locked in a battle that neither would win. She saw the memories of his past, the past that he never truly let go of and the scenes of the present. She saw how the girl's betrayal had left him cold and bitter, how torn he was between his anger for her and his loyalty to her as a friend.

But unbeknownst to either of them, the small figure in the very core of the great mass of Primids was stirring. And as her final moments of consciousness faded away before her eyes, she reached up…

… and wrapped her hand around the little amber stone.

* * *

Cameron knelt down and lightly blew into the dying flames, trying to provide fuel for the tiny fire. The red scarf that normally covered his face was pulled down ever so slightly to allow his breath to seep through. But his face still remained hidden in the shadow he seemed to carry around him wherever he went. He and Nask had been traveling the continent of Tellius for a day and a half now and both were downright exhausted. After what seemed like hours of searching, they finally found some suitable firewood and entered a small cave. Without any flint with which to create sparks, the two were forced to build fire the old fashioned way.

"Damn…" Nask cursed, wincing as pain shot up her arm, "I knew I should've brought the tinderbox with me…"

"_Tinderbox?"_ Marth questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, a tinderbox! You know, this… box thing that helps make fire?" Nask said tracing a small rectangle with her one good hand, "It's about… this big?"

"_We didn't have tinderboxes,"_ Marth said lightly, _"We had fire tomes."_

"Well, as soon as you can find a good fire sage, this is all we've got." his guardian mumbled, gesturing to the tiny embers of their "fire".

Meanwhile, Cameron had not yet ceased trying to bring life to the poor fire. He blew and blew with all his might, going to the point to where his head began to spin and his chest hurt from the effort of drawing breath. When the effort was all too much for him, he laid down on the cold stone floor of the cave, his head spinning with dizziness. He shot a small glare at where Nask was talking with Marth, slightly put out that she had not lifted a finger to help him. Instead, she was tending to her broken arm, wrapping it in some cloth they had found along the way.

"She should at least lend me a finger…" he mumbled, making sure that the girl wasn't listening, "She's got one good arm left…"

"_Well… at least she's happy in some way…" _Ike sighed miserably, watching as Nask smiled at something Marth said.

Ranulf's death had taken a great toll on the once proud mercenary. Though he no longer had a physical form, he knew that he was pale and drawn by now, his eyes rimmed with red from crying. He had been forced to kill one of his greatest friends, his most trusted ally. It was bad enough that Soren, Mia and so many others of his mercenary troupe had lost their lives to Tabuu, but Ranulf as well?

That had been all too much for the Hero of Tellius. During their whole journey he remained aloof from the rest, not even talking to Marth when the Altean Prince would take possession of Nask's body to converse with him. He spoke little and did little. The whole day and a half seemed like hundreds of years for him, years upon years of endless wandering on a deserted landscape, with nothing but his own aching heart to comfort him.

Marth frowned as he watched Cameron collapse in exhaustion, the little embers of the fire they were trying to build dying even more.

"_Nask, perhaps you should help him make the fire…"_

Nask coolly glanced over at the little flames before shrugging and turning back to her arm.

"He can handle it."

Marth shook his head.

"_I don't think so. You're a woman, you should be handling the household chores!"_

"Last time I checked, I was a soldier." Nask said bluntly, "A soldier trying to catch up on sleep."

Marth clucked in disapproval. _"A soldier should always be on their guard, willing to protect their companions and those they are loyal to at any sort of-"_

Nask yawned, interrupting Marth. "Like I said, whaaaaaatever…"

"_Now see here, Nask!"_ Marth thundered.

But he was too late. His guardian had dropped off to sleep, her dreams filling the mind they both shared. With a small huff, Marth crossed his arms and sat down, unsure of what to do now. He could easily wake her up. All he needed to do was create a loud enough noise. But a small surge of guilt washed over him as he then glanced at her broken arm, twisted at such an angle that it was a wonder that it stayed on. With a small sigh, he allowed her to sleep and instead seeped his way out of her mind and into the cave itself.

Cameron felt himself beginning to drop off, his eyelids seeming to weigh more and more by the passing second. The fire, small as it was, shed a warming comfort on him, a comfort that he had not felt in a long time. For a moment, he distantly had the image of gentle arms holding him, rocking him back and forth. The warmth of the little flames engulfed him, causing all his muscles to relax. He felt his eyelids droop.

But there was something deep in the back of his mind that sounded an alarm, begging him to stay awake. Was something bad going to happen? No, it was a peaceful night. The moon shone brightly above him, casting a soft silver glow around the land of Tellius. A cool breeze blew its way into the cave, mingling with the warmth of the dying embers. He smiled as this happened. There was no way anything bad could happen.

Ike felt his guardian drifting off, watching as dreams flooded their way into his mind. He heaved a heavy sigh, full of sorrow and mourning. At least he was able to sleep.

Suddenly, he felt a sudden wave of power sweep over him, gently soothing his troubled soul. He had sensed this power many times and he knew exactly what this meant.

Marth wanted to talk to him.

Ike frowned, unsure as to whether or not he should talk to the prince this time around. He had been quite lonely on the journey, his being too aloof making him unable to catch up with Marth. But if he had refused to speak to him before, what difference would it make now?

That question nagged at him, never giving him any peace...

"_Ike!"_ Marth called softly, thankful that the sleeping guardians could not hear him, _"Ike, we need to talk… " _

Ike chose not to answer, instead choosing to dwell on the memories that had haunted him for so long. Mia's laughter, Soren's skill, Ranulf's humor, Titania's wise council… their faces floated in front of him one by one, some smiling, some fierce. He felt a small pang in his heart at the face of Mia, the girl who had changed his life forever. He had watched her as she died in his arms, killed by a great fire from some unknown place.

She had been torn from him, just like that. How easy it was to take a life...

Ike flexed his fingers. How easy and how cruel...

"_Ike!"_ Marth called again, _"Ike, we have to talk! You can't just sit in Cameron's head and mope forever…"_

Ike scowled and turned away, trying his best to tune out the voice of the Altean.

"_Watch me…"_

_

* * *

Fear. That was the one emotion she knew. Fear clouded her heart, her mind, and even her very soul. But there was one thing that kept her sane, that allowed her to keep hold of her reason and her heart: Yoshi._

The sweet little dinosaur had given her support for these past who knows how long. She did not know how much time had flowed past her since the moment she had been cruelly thrown into this little cage, with just barely enough room for her to crawl around and exercise her aching limbs. With little nourishment for her body, she grew thinner and thinner every day, her strength slowly draining away.

Yoshi saw this and wept, unable to do a thing to help her. Like a wilting flower, his guardian great pale and drawn, her thin frame shrinking to such a degree that it was almost skeletal. Yet she still reserved her kind heart and strong spirit, just enough to hold the horrible pirates at bay when they came for her.

Mah sighed when she heart the little green dinosaur let out another sniffle in her mind, shaking her head.

"Yoshi, it's not you're fault I'm here. These pirates would've gotten us either way."

"_But I was the one who climbed up that ladder,"_ Yoshi wailed, _"I was the one who didn't go back down, even though I saw the name of the boat… even though I knew there was danger around, I didn't turn back Mah!"_

Mah managed a small smile.

"Well… our situation could be worse, right? At least I'm still alive… and I still have my virginity. And at least these pirates have been nice to us… sorta… that's what matters."

Yoshi let out another wail of anguish.

"_It's not alright! Because of me, we got into this situation and sooner or later, you won't have enough energy to resist those guys anymore and they'll hurt you… really badly…"_

Mah shook her head again, feeling bravery welling up within her.

"Like I said, it can't be that bad! I'll take whatever is thrown at me!"

"_Y-You don't u-understand…"_ the smasher stammered, _"They'll hurt you… they'll hurt you so much you'll never be the same again… the way you live, how you walk, everything will be changed…"_

Before Mah could answer, the distinct _creak!_ of the door interrupted her. Sitting up as straight as she could, she fixed her eyes on the tiny sliver of light that had entered the little room, illuminating the tiny corner of the cage in which she sat. Narrowing her eyes, Mah watched as a figure appeared, pushing the door away and bathing the room in the faint sea light. The figure was short, much shorter, and much smaller than any of the pirates Mah had seen yet.

As the figure took a few more steps into the room, she saw that this figure was a male, a rather short and skinny male. His orange hair caught the light as he walked, showing off the green streaks that lined it and emphasizing his eyes, one orange and one green. His clothing was unusual, to say the least. He wore a tight green shirt covered with an orange vest with blue jeans covering his legs. As he neared, she saw a pair of blood red headphones bouncing against this orange vest, with some sort of loud, obnoxious music coming from them.

He was smiling as he entered, but it wasn't the malicious and disgustingly seductive smile the other pirates gave her. It was a true smile, warm as the sun, spreading to his eyes. Despite this, Mah braced herself and shuffled to the farthest corner of her cage so as to avoid him.

Yoshi frowned slightly as he approached, unsure of whether to trust this boy or not. With every step that he took, a wooden floorboard creaked and the ship seemed to rock even more. But as if by magic, a scent reached the nose of both Mah and the little green dino. It was a delicious smell, a scent created only through the mixing of many spices and vegetables. The smell of hot soup. And indeed the boy was grasping a bowl in his hands at that very moment, the steam from the precious bowl turning spirals in midair.

Yoshi's eyes popped out of his head, his mouth watered with glee. It had been a long time since he had had soup. For the past days, both he and Mah had nothing more than some sort of foul tasting cracker bread called "hardtack" by the pirates. It was horribly dry and disgusting, but it kept Mah alive. She had nearly cracked her teeth with each bite of hardtack the first time she tasted this strange substance and neither she nor Yoshi wished to see a single piece of hardtack ever again. For what seemed like years, they both huddled in the thick darkness that pressed itself upon them, dreaming of the delicious foods they had lost during the battle against the Spaaks. And to see this boy simply standing there with the tiniest taste of Heaven in his hands was pure torture. It took all of Yoshi's strength to hold back Mah's empty stomach, to prevent her from following her stomach and simply leaping out to snatch the bowl out of the boy's hands.

The boy stopped in front of the cage, the scent of the soup even closer to Mah now. Yoshi sensed the smell of fresh tomato basil, causing him to drool even more. He almost loosened his grip on his guardian's willpower, wishing desperately to feel the precious substance running down her throat. But he held on as tightly as he could, trying his best to block his senses from the steaming liquid that was just so close to him.

Mah watched with widened eyes as the boy knelt down until he was eye level with her. Chocolate brown met orange and green as their eyes locked, causing the boy to grin even more. Taking care not to spill a drop of the soup, the boy carefully passed it through the bars of her cage and laid it on the ground before her. The bowl was actually nothing more than a tiny mug, but it was more food than Mah and Yoshi had had in a long time. Despite her immense hunger, Mah refused to take the soup, staring nervously at it as it was laid down.

The boy laughed.

"It's not poisoned! Trust me, if I poisoned that stuff, I would've given it to 'Captain' Squall a looooong time ago! Go ahead and eat it! All I did was stick a little rat poop in there and…"

Mah gasped in horror, pressing her back even further against the bars. Realizing her fear, the boy immediately sobered and stretched his thin arm through the bars to push the bowl even closer to the frightened girl.

"Sorry about that. I was joking," he said, adding another laugh to the din, "But seriously, go ahead. I already had my dinner and I would've got you more, but this was all I could sneak past Cookie without him noticing."

Mah still felt nervous, eyeing the bowl as if it were some creature ready to come to life.

"S-Should I?"

Yoshi turned his attention to the boy, looking deep into his orange and green eyes. He searched and searched, but he could find no trace of the malice or dishonesty he had often seen dancing behind the eyes of the pirates. Rather, he saw good humor and true kindness, though there seemed to be a long streak of mischief of some sort within this boy.

"_He seems nice enough…"_ the dinosaur finally stated, _"I… I think we can trust him…"_

With a small sigh of relief, Mah took up the bowl and held it to her lips, allowing the warm liquid within to run down her throat. The first sip was pure heaven. Yoshi gasped as soon as the hot, but not scalding liquid hit his guardian's tongue, the sweet taste of tomato and basil filling her mouth. It ran down her throat like a waterfall, filling her stomach and warming her freezing body. On and on the soup poured, the little cup like a bottomless bowl of Heaven, made just for them. But all too soon, the cup was empty, yet Mah's stomach was more filled that it had been for the past who knows how long.

"Thank you," she said appreciatively, passing the cup back to the kind boy.

His grin widened as he took the cup.

"And now for your desert! Hardtack!"

Mah made a face.

"No thank you! I'll skip out on desert tonight, thank you very much!"

He roared with laughter.

"Fine then! Suit yourself!"

Looking once over his shoulder, the boy stood up and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, but the big fat idiots are calling me. I have to go before they notice I'm gone."

As he reached the door, he turned back to the young girl. "If you need anything, I'll be around to check on you at noontime every day. Tell me then, alright Miss…"

"Mah," Mah answered, "My name is Mah."

He nodded.

"Alright, Mah. I'll be here if you need me… call me… call me Ridere."

* * *

Pichn trembled in fear as the torchlight continued to flicker all around him and his brother. Picho had long ago fallen asleep on the hard stone floor, his snores echoing eerily around the cell. Pichn shivered and wrapped himself in his arms, watching as his every breath created a small puff of steam in the cold air.

"_How long have we been here?"_ Kirby asked, _"I'm hungry…"_

Pichn sneezed and rubbed his arms with his hands. "I-I don't know… K-Kirby…"

"_And this prison food's just the worse,"_ Kirby whined, his voice tearful, _"Not good tasting at all and not filling either…"_

"B-But we're s-still alive… right?" Pichn stammered, another sneeze escaping him, "A-And we're a-all s-still together!"

"_But I'm hungry!"_ Kirby moaned.

Pichn sighed, feeling his stomach growl. "We both are…"

Meanwhile, Ness was sitting inside Picho's mind, unable to think of anything to occupy himself with. Picho mostly dreamed about what any boy imprisoned by an evil king would dream of. Assassinating the king, blowing up the castle, assassinating the king, finding the Triforce, assassinating the king, pretty girls in hot tubs…

Wait, what was that? Ness blinked in surprise and watched as the dream floated away. He rolled his eyes. in a time like this, no one should be dreaming of pretty girls in hot tubs.

Unless Paula…

"_Snap out of it, Ness!"_ he scolded himself, _"First thing's first! We gotta get out of here!"_

"Shut up, Ness," Picho mumbled, "I'm trying to sleep…"

Before Ness could answer, there was a sudden _bang!_, as if a door was being thrown wide open. Pichn sprang up from his sitting position and searched for something, anything that could be used to defend himself with. His eyes fell on a little wooden bowl on the floor. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He picked up the bowl, wincing slightly as splinters found their way to his fingers.

Kirby's mouth watered as he laid his eyes on the bowl. It _had_ been a long time since he had tasted the sweet flavor of fresh pine or cedar. By the smell of the bowl, it was made of oak, but none of this mattered to him. He was starving and it was tempting, very tempting to just swallow the bowl right then and there…

"Kirby?" Pichn asked, surprise evident in his voice, "You can't be seriously wanting to _eat_ the bowl… right?"

Kirby blinked and regained his senses. _"N-No! Of course not!"_

"_Picho! HEY PICHO!!!"_ Ness shouted, almost causing the little boy to receive a headache,n _"Wake up, will ya?"_

"Lemme sleep," his guardian mumbled, "Five more minutes, Mom…"

"_Your bro's in trouble!"_ Ness said with forced patience, _"You know… your twin?"_

"Tired…" Picho mumbled.

Ness sighed and looked around the joke shop that was his guardian's mind. There were a great many things he could use to wake him up. Noisemakers, whoopee cushions, and water balloons were among them. But as he set his eyes on one thing, a small malicious grin crossed his face. Placing his hands together, he closed his eyes and tapped into his inner PSI Power.

"PK FIRE!!!!!"

It was as if an explosion had gone off in Picho's head. With a howl of pain, he leaped five feet into the air and proceeded to hopping about the cell, clutching his head in pain. Pichn stopped staring at the bowl in his hands long enough to watch his brother, surprise evident on his face.

"What's wrong, bro?" he asked as he watched Picho hop around.

"THE FIREWORKS!!!!!" he answered, still clutching his head, "NESS BLEW UP MY FIREWORKS!!!!"

In his head, Ness let out a small chuckle. _"That's what you get!"_

"Fireworks?" Pichn asked, raising an eyebrow, "You keep your fireworks in your head?"

"_Does he have any left?"_ Kirby asked expectantly.

"Ahem…"

The two boys stopped hopping around long enough to turn their attention to this new voice. The silhouette of a tall, broad shouldered figure could be clearly seen, outlined by the orange glow of the torches. He was dressed in the garb of a knight, his chain mail glittering in the din. The golden hilt of his sword could be seen, sparkling with his every movement.

Pichn braced himself and held his bowl aloft, ready to spring. Meanwhile, Picho concentrated on Ness's inner PSI power, preparing to launch a blast of fire or electricity at this intruder. The figure seemed to fumble a bit at his belt before removing a ring of some kind with what looked like abnormally shaped sticks on them. The stick seemed to be made of metal as they clanged together often, causing the dungeon to echo with the sounds of iron against iron.

"Sorry I took so long," the stranger said, fumbling with the ring of sticks, "I ran into trouble on the way down and since I couldn't fit into those damn vents anymore…"

The brothers watched as he inserted a stick into the lock of the cell and tried turning it. When it did not work, he chose another one and tried again. Picho frowned in confusion as he did this, wondering why they were being let go just like that. Pichn never left his position, his grip on the bowl unwavering.

"_He sounds nice…"_ Ness said uncertainly, _"And he's letting us go…"_

Picho deepened his frown. "But can he be trusted?"

Pichn squinted at the figure, trying to penetrate the darkness. "He… he seems familiar somehow…"

"_As long as he has food, he's fine with me!"_ Kirby announced.

The figure at the cell door continued to fumble with what the two boys realized was his key ring. "Stupid keys… they all look the same… Dad can at least label them…"

It was then that Pichn recognized his voice. "P-Prince Rinku?"

The figure stopped looking at the keys long enough to fix his gaze upon the little boy. For a moment, Pichn thought he saw the slightest hint of a smile on his shadowed face. The figure stepped back a few steps, revealing his face in the faint torchlight. Rinku grinned, showing off straight, even teeth.

"It _is_ you!" Pichn exclaimed.

"_Does he have something to eat?"_ Kirby asked hopefully.

Picho, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What do you want? Are you here to drag us over to the gallows? It's what that stupid coward of a father of yours wants, right?"

Rinku shook his head, sending his blonde locks flying. "I may be the Crown Prince, but I don't agree with Dad's… methods…"

"_Murder tactics…"_ Ness mumbled under his breath.

"Then what do you want?" Picho demanded, "Gold? Jewels? Our heads!?"

Rinku held up his hands to stop the flow of questions. "Hold your horses, there! No, I'm not after anything of value from you two…"

"So what do you need us for?" Pichn asked excitedly, "Spying? Killing? Burning? Hunting? ...Killing?"

"_Kitchen duty?"_ Kirby piped up.

By this time, Rinku was back at the cell door. One by one, he inserted the keys into the lock, and one by one they failed. Once all his keys had tried but failed, he threw up his arms in frustration, letting out a cry of anguish.

"WHICH FREAKING KEY IS IT!?!?" he screamed, throwing the keys on the ground.

Picho took a step back, his fear for the prince growing with every passing second. "Uh…"

Ness squirmed uncomfortably inside his mind. _"Is this guy… okay?"_

Pichn grinned and pointed to a tiny key on the ring. "You have tried that one yet!"

Scowling slightly, Rinku picked up the keys and inserted the tiny one into the lock. To his great surprise, it fit perfectly. A click could be heard as he turned it and it was not long before the door of the brothers' jail cell swung wide open. Picho gaped in bewilderment at his brother, who merely shrugged.

"_How did you know it was THAT key?"_ Kirby asked.

Pichn grinned. "I followed my gut!"

As Rinku entered the cell, a sudden burst of power seemed to radiate from him, filling the entire cell. Ness and Kirby both felt this power and for a brief moment, both were blinded by this awesome force. Neither of them had felt such power in hundreds of years and as they looked up at their savior, they thought they saw a familiar flash of sky blue from deep within Rinku's eyes. Ness was the one to gather his senses first.

"_Picho… did you feel that?"_

The boy raised an eyebrow. "If you mean the draft, yeah. Smelled like _someone_ had too many beans for dinner!"

Pichn grinned sheepishly. "Well… I was hungry! And that was all they gave us to eat!"

Ness shook his head, trying his best to stay patient. _"I didn't mean that. I meant… that force…"_

Picho raised an eyebrow. "Force…?"

"_I mean… it's just that… well… lemme take over from here…"_

Before Picho could answer, he felt a sudden tug in his stomach, as if his very essence was being ripped right out of his body. Something pulled on his back, ripping out his very soul and thrusting it back deep within his mind. He passed a streak of yellow light as he was sent away, knowing full well who it was. The boy crashed landed in the crevices of his mind, his face inches away from a large pile of fake dog poop. Rubbing his head, he stood up and found himself face to face with a portal. A window to the outside world.

He saw himself. Only, it wasn't himself at the same time. His eyes, once dark brown, were now deepest navy blue. He stood taller than he usually stood and the spark of mischief that always danced around his eyes was gone. It was instead replaced with a look of grave seriousness and integrity.

"Rinku…" he saw himself say, though it was Ness's voice that came out of his vocal chords, "Rinku… you're a Guardian, aren't you?"

Both the prince and his brother jolted in surprise and turned their gaze to him. Ness noticed confusion flicker within Rinku's eyes at the sound of the suddenly changed voice. The great power radiating off of him was much stronger now, much more potent. And once again, he saw the familiar flash of sky blue within Rinku's cerulean eyes. Ness stood up straighter, his voice gaining confidence as he spoke.

"We know you are, Rinku… we know…"

"That's right," a voice piped up.

Ness was slightly surprised to hear Kirby's voice echoing in the din. The puffball sounded starved, weak even. In spite of himself, he smirked. He must've gone three whole hours without eating a thing. Pichn stepped forward, though his eyes were navy blue instead of dark brown.

"I felt that… wind thingy…" Pichn said uncertainly, Kirby's voice emerging from his mouth, "It was… really cool! And… do you have something to eat?"

Rinku was utterly shocked, his eyes darted back and forth between the two boys. Both Ness and Kirby saw how he seemed to be arguing with himself internally, as if another being had taken up residence in his mind. As they watched, they saw his eyes flicker ever so slightly from cerulean, to sky blue, and to cerulean again. It was a confusing sight indeed.

After what seemed like hours, the Crown Prince finally heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they shone sky blue in the faint torchlight. A familiar, good natured smile touched his lips when those sky blue eyes fixed themselves on first Kirby, then Ness. He opened his mouth and out flowed a voice, strong, familiar and comforting.

"Hey guys," Link said with a small chuckle, "Long time no see.

* * *

"_Cimar…"_

"Ugh… Z-Zelda…?"

His head pounded. Every muscle in his body was on fire. His knees felt like water. With a great groan, Cimar slowly opened his eyes.

For a brief moment, his vision was quite blurred. But he knew he was lying on a bed, a soft one at that. There was an entire King's Random of quilts on top of him. Only his nose was exposed to the cold castle air and there was no cheerful crackling from the fire place to warm it. Despite all the warmth that surrounded him, he shivered.

"Z-Zelda…?" he called weakly, searching his mind for the princess.

"_I… I'm here…"_ the princess breathed back, her voice a mere whisper.

"Where am I?"

The Hylian princess tried looking around, but she found that her sharp vision seemed to be clouded by the dark shadows that seemed to linger within her guardian's mind. _"I don't know… I can't see a thing…"_

Memories flooded in. He remembered being in a strange room, being treated not as a prisoner or a criminal, but as an honored guest. He remembered the strange little man, the darkness of his eyes. He remembered being unable to tear his gaze away, as if some invisible force held him there. But all of that seemed far, very far away.

"Zelda... what happened...?"

The princess hung her head in shame. _"I... I don't know... it was being crushed by the shadows that surrounded your mind, almost being completely blocked out by some strange form of dark magic. I tried to call out to you, but you couldn't hear me. The last thing I did before fading was..."_

Cimar raised an eyebrow."Was...?"

_"Was call out to Link..." _she finished.

Her guardian frowned, noticing for the first time the great amount of weight upon him. "Strange... anything else?"

Zelda frowned, tring to remember the miserable time she had while surrounded by the dark shadows. _"Yes... I felt something happening... Hot, scalding liquid... I felt it running down your throat..."_

"Liquid?"

_"Liquid," _Zelda confirmed,_ "But never mind that now. We must concentrate on getting out of here."_

Cimar shifted slightly, feeling the weight of the ten quilts upon him, almost crushing him. Though he twisted and turned, he was unable to shift the great weight off of him. He tried wriggling around and managed to free his right arm. A light sweat had formed on his brow by this time and it did not help that a great draft suddenly found itself into the room, chilling his now exposed right arm to the very bone.

"Great way to die," he muttered, trying to reach for the dagger on the nightstand next to him, "Death by Blankets..."

But though he reached and reached with all his might, his fingers fell just short of the steel weapon. A light bead of sweat trickled down his face as he strained harder and harder to reach the knife. It turned to ice before it hit the floor. Cimar's arm was freezing, as if snow had covered it all over. He bit his lip and strained a bit more.

"_Cimar? Perhaps I could…"_

"No need, Princess!" the Disciple of Wisdom insisted, "If I can just reach that knife, we'll both be out of here in no time!"

"_Cimar, all you need is-"  
_

"That knife," he groaned, stretching so hard his arm was ready to fall off, "I just need that knife…"

"_I don't think a knife is needed to get yourself free,"_ Zelda told him, _"If you would just allow me to use some magic…"_

Cimar snorted. "Magic… such things aren't needed in times like this! The tools are within reach… we just need to, well, reach them…" He strained once more for the precious knife on the nightstand.

Zelda heaved a small sigh and leaned back. _"Soon enough, you'll need a bit of magic…"_

She watched as her guardian reached to his very limit, his fingers just barely brushing the hilt of the dagger. She felt the searing pain in his arm, sensing as the muscles in his biceps were stretched to the very limit. For a brief moment, she felt his bringer brush against the blade of the knife. But when he tried again, his arm fell just short. He continued to stretch and strain, his cheeks flushed reds. After what seemed like hours, his arm collapsed weakly to his side, numb as can be. In Cimar's mind, Zelda let out a small chuckle.

"You win, Zelda," he moaned, "just get me outta here…"

The princess nodded. "Of course. Now see if you can raise your free hand…"

Cimar carefully flexed the fingers of his sore right hand, wincing as a shoot of pain wound its way through his veins. Though the pain did not subside, he was at least able to lift it. Just a bit…

"_Now raise your hand,"_ Zelda instructed, _"And connect your essence to that of Din, Goddess of Power…"_

Feeling foolish, Cimar closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt himself floating upwards, as if to the gates of Heaven itself. A great golden gate stood before him, radiating beauty and power. He watched in amazement as the golden gates swung wide open, revealing the figures of three women, all dressed in shimmering robes.

The rightmost one was garmented in robes of green, her very form bathed in a golden light. Like the other women, her facial features were blurred and she radiated such a potent aura that any mortal who felt it was filled with the great spirit of courage. The woman who stood in the center was swathed in a robe of delicate ocean blue. The aura she radiated filled Cimar with a kind of kindred spirit and as he watched, he saw the innermost secrets of the universe itself floating around her. Finally, Cimar turned his attention to the woman standing on the left. Dressed in robes of fiery red, she radiated a sort of powerful aura that was both fearful and inviting all at once. One look at her and any mortal would know that she was truly a force to be reckoned with.

As Cimar approached these three glorious women, he heard their voices. Three beautiful, musical voices that were so different yet similar all at once. There was a voice filled with courage, a tone with wisdom beyond that of any mortal, and a voice of power that radiated its potency with every word the woman spoke. Cimar fell to his knees, trying his best not to be blinded by the intense light that surrounded these goddesses.

"_Cimar of Turalis,"_ the wisdom filled voice said, _"Welcome to the gates of the Sacred Realm."_

"_We have been waiting for you,"_ the courageous voice added, _"We, the Three Goddesses of Hyrule, Land of the Triforce."_

"_What do you seek of us?"_ the powerful voice asked, a tiny hint of finality in its tone.

"O Mighty and Awesome Goddesses," Cimar said, unsure of how to speak to the three women, "I am naught but a humble mortal in search of… erm… your divine assistance?"

The owner of the courageous voice let out a small chuckle. _"Indeed, young one. We are aware of your need…"_

"Then I wish to call upon the Goddess of Power, Din," Cimar announced, his voice gaining strength, "And request her aid!"

The woman in red robes stepped forward, her form shimmering as she walked. _"And Din, Goddess of Power, shall grant you her aid…"_

She held out her elegant hands and took his, filling his fingers with a warm power that was unlike any other in the universe. It was as if an electric spark had sprung to life, sending power through his veins. His blood turned to fire, his vision was clouded with a great white light. He found himself hurtling downwards, back to earth, back to Hyrule.

He opened his eyes. He was back in the strange, yet familiar room, still surrounded by a King's Ransom of quilts. But there was something different about him. His right hand, once numb with pain now throbbed with power and warmth, just like the Goddess Din herself. He flexed his fingers, feeling the great power course through his veins.

"_Now… release it,"_ the princess in his mind whispered, _"Release the power of the Goddess Din…"_

Cimar closed his eyes again. "DIN'S FIRE!!!!"

The effect was immediate. Fire, searing white, burst forth from his palm. The flames twisted themselves into the shape of a glowing, flaming orb before turning in the air and crash landing on the great layer of quilts that surrounded Zelda's guardian. At once, the top most quilt burst into flames. Using his now not as powerful right hand, Cimar covered his nose and mouth to keep from inhaling the dreaded fumes. The flames had now finished consuming the top quilt and was hard at work on burning the next one to cinders.

Zelda felt his eyes water as the smoke from the fire approached him, bringing with it a great cloud of ashes. _"Hold on and try not to breathe them in!"  
_

"Easy for you to say!" her guardian gasped, struggling under the still intense weight of the quilts, "You don't have to breathe!"

One by one, the weight of the quilts was slowly reduced by the great fire. Zelda tried to keep track of how many had gone, but the roar of the flames distracted her. Cimar's uncontrollable coughing clouded her thoughts, interrupting them at times. Though she wished desperately to help him, she was powerless when it came to preventing the ashes from entering his nose and mouth.

A tongue of flame licked her guardian's chin, causing the princess to jump in fear. Had the small flame come any closer, his hair would catch fire. She tried to sense the weight of the quilts upon her guardian. It was less now, just enough for him to quickly throw off before the fire spread. As she watched she noticed just how dangerously close to the wooden bed post the fire was. Her eyes widened in fear as the tiniest spark of fire flew up and landed on the bed post, creating a tiny ember of flame. It was now or never.

"_Throw the quilt off!"_ she ordered, unable to keep her voice form shaking with fear, _"We have to get out before the fire spreads even more!"_

With a great heave, Cimar managed to throws the remaining quilts off of him, setting his clothes on fire in the process. He just barely managed to roll out of the way of the leaping flames, putting out the ones that had appeared on his body in the process. The immense canopy bed on which he was a prisoner creaked and groaned as the blaze slowly withered away the bed posts that held it up.

Cimar got up, wondering why he felt so awkward at the moment. His body, built for speed and stealth, felt heavy and muscular. It was a warrior's body he felt, not one of a being who lived in the shadows. Since when had he started working out like this? He began walking to the window, deciding that the cool night air might clear his head.

Zelda felt the awkward movements of his body as well, how each step he took was regal and proud, not fluid and smooth like he usually was. _"Something… there's something wrong here…"_

"You're telling me that now?" he groaned, a small scowl appearing on his face, "I feel like… like as if I've been going through one of those Hylian Military Boot Camps… what'd they give me? Steroids?"

"_More like crack…"_ Zelda said disapprovingly, glancing at the scars and cuts that covered Cimar's right hand, _"Strange… you've never been cut there before…"_

Cimar glanced at his hand and frowned as well, noticing how it was larger and slightly more muscular than the hands he was accustomed to.

"I… I guess I cut myself while rolling off the bed…?"

"_But you would be bleeding, not scarred,"_ the princess pointed out.

Cimar ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what to say. Once he opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and continued walking towards the window. When he removed his hand, he also pulled out a few hairs. He froze.

The little strands of hair he pulled out were not chocolate brown, his natural hair color. Rather, they were the color of spun gold, bright as can be. Cimar and Zelda gawked at these strands in surprise, neither of them able to say a word.

Cimar was the one to act first. Gripping the hairs in his hand, he dashed over to the other side of the room. A full length mirror stood there, shining silver in the light of the still blazing fire. In a few mere leaps he was there in front of the mirror, gazing into what he hoped to be was his reflection.

"Oh goddesses…"

"_This… this… impossible…"_

He stood there open mouthed, unable to tear his gaze away. Not even when the bed gave one final groan and collapsed into a great burning heap of rubble did he look away. His breath came in tiny, pained pants. His knees felt like water. His heart raced faster than it had ever raced before.

In his mind, Princess Zelda of Hyrule fainted.

Prince Rinku of Hyrule gazed back at him in the mirror...

* * *

"_Sword, cape, honor…"_ he mumbled to himself, _"Ship, respect, kingdom, home, mask…"_

He had been listing all the things he had lost since that fateful day, the day when he had suffered his greatest lost. He, one of the most feared of the Smashers, had lost to an enemy they had defeated long ago. Sure, he had had the whole army of Smashers behind him at the time, but it had been a truly golden victory, one they had celebrated for months on end. Now all he felt was a strange, hollow emptiness that followed him wherever he went.

A hollow emptiness that would take a thousand years to fill...

He never understood what had happened on that day. There had been a brief moment when he felt his knightly pride within him, his powerful arm swinging the legendary sword, Galaxia, to and fro. He remembered the thrill of the fight, the splicing of the Subspace Army left and right, and the sweet taste of victory with his every battle.

It was his pride, he thought, that could've brought his downfall. There had once been a time where he had been unable to face up to a few Primids, let alone an army of them. He was inexperienced then and it was his inexperience that allowed them to take his ship. And since that day, he had sworn to never allow that to happen again. He had trained and he had grown. It was with his brute strength and the help of allies, such as Lucario and Snake, that he was able to retake his ship. And it was with these allies that he faced off with Tabuu once and for all.

But what made it different that time? He had won that time, tasting victory so sweet that no triumph could ever match that. Why had he won the first time and lost the second?

He had been cutting through the Primids like they were made of paper. Thousands at a time threw themselves upon him and it was with his lightning quick attacks that he finished them off. His allies were with him as well, hacking and slashing away at all they could see. Tabuu was being his usual cowardly self, hanging out in the back and watching as the Smashers approached. Being the steadfast warrior he was, Meta Knight had been the first to reach him.

And the first to fall...

He remembered charging at the hateful blue man, feeling the rush of the wind around him. Galaxia flashed a deadly silver in the light Tabuu radiated, seeming to glow with its great power and potency. One slice and it would all be over, just one stab right in the middle and this menace would be gone for good.

But the blow never came, the sickening crunch of bone and who knows what else splintering under Galaxia's brute strength never came. A great flash of white light had filled the eyes of the Star Warrior, knocking him right off his feet. Pain beyond pain had filled him, seeming to rip his very being apart. And just like that, darkness engulfed him.

The next thing he knew, he had woken up in a jar in what he recognized as the Smasher's training lodge at the top of Mount Smash. The other Smashers who had come with him were there as well. He had seen Master Hand floating over him, gazing at him in what seemed like confusion mixed with pity. Before he could even ask what was going on, the giant floating hand had disappeared.

Now he was alone again, wandering the streets of the long forgotten city of Smashville, wondering what was going to happen next. Smash Mansion, the place he had come to call home loomed in the distance. But at the same time, it was not Smash Mansion.

It had been twisted, warped into the image that was Tabuu. It was completely shrouded in black, with peaked towers absolutely covered in barbed wires and spikes. The sky that surrounded this place was painted a grisly red, like the color of fresh blood. It was a castle, a fortress in which the Subspace King would hide from his enemies. Primids and many other enemies patrolled the grounds, their many gurglings echoing slightly in the stale blood scented air. The once emerald grass of the front lawn was now painted red, the coppery stench of blood wafting from them without any mercy.

Meta Knight averted his large yellow eyes from these stains of blood. As a warrior, though he was accustomed to spilled blood, it had been a hundred years since he had last fought and add a few more years to that, for the Primids had no blood and it was never spilled during the tournaments.

He soon found himself phasing through a lone window, squeezing through a tiny crack in it and emerging into a large, darkened room. Every inch from the ceiling to the floor was draped in black. The room was lit by nothing more than a few candles sitting on the nightstand, illuminating the room in a dim, eerie glow. There was a large canopy bed towards the very back, also draped in black. It was as if this room had been built for a demon of sorts, a monster who could not bear the light.

But then he saw it. It caught his eye as he looked around, taking in the dark furnishings and such of the area. It was the one splash of color in a room so blackened. The dark blue cloud of his very being trembled when he saw it, a lump forming in his throat.

It was a picture, a rather roughly drawn one no doubt, of himself. It was a crayon drawing, rather messily made and hurried. In this drawing, he was without his sword, his mask, and his cape. His true form, that of a being so similar to Kirby, gazed out at him. Kirby, he remembered, had drawn this picture, working day and night to perfect it. However, the little puffball was still young, still innocent. The only true thought he ever had in life was when the next meal was. He didn't know, didn't understand the way life worked. Perhaps he knew now.

The pink puffball had super glued this drawing to his wall, to the wall of Meta Knight's room.

Though the Star Warrior was furious when he found out, he had since then grown used to the picture of himself on the wall. He didn't know what made him not take it off, but he found that he could never bring himself to try to pry it off his wall. Kirby had worked hard to make this drawing for him of all people and he appreciated it.

The door opened, sending a draft into the room. The Star Warrior whirled on this intruder, as if he was ready to fight. But there was no need to, he remembered. He was a cloud of blue gas, completely invisible to the human eye. So he dropped his guard and waited.

"I'm not five!" a voice shouted angrily, "I don't need you in here helping me."

He was answered by the garbled speech of the Primids on the other side. With a sigh of exasperation, he entered the room and slammed the door shut. And for the first time, Meta Knight saw his face.

His first impression of this young man was that he was Dark Link, wondering what on earth the Hylian's dark side was doing here. But a closer look told him otherwise. He was tall and lean, with jet black hair and blood red eyes. His bangs were grown in such a way that his right eye was covered in a curtain of his hair. Strange markings could be seen beneath his eyes and though Meta Knight was no demon expert, he knew that these were the markings of a demonic dragon of sorts.

He wore a jet black shirt with claw- like attachments upon his shoulders, creating a look of imperial power and menace. The sleeves of his shirt reached the middle of his upper arm, emphasizing the midnight black gauntlets that covered his hands. Every inch of his clothing was black, almost blending in with the room. A sword in an over decorated sheathe hung at his side, its golden hilt shining slightly in the dim light.

The boy leaned against the door and heaved a sigh of relief as the sounds of the Primid footsteps faded away. It was not long before he bolted his door shut and collapsed on the floor, his chest heaving. Meta Knight saw the sweat shining on his brow, noticing for the first time how flushed his face was from whatever he had been doing that day. The boy closed his eyes and sighed.

"Stupid Primids…" he mumbled to himself, "Can't even have a few moments to myself with those idiots around…"

Meta Knight floated closer to him, wondering who this strange boy was. The closer he floated, the greater the pull he felt towards the boy. It was then he noticed that there was a force of some kind pulling him closer and closer, almost sucking him in like a great black hole. Before the Star Warrior could react, he was pulled right into a great dark maw, twisting and turning through tunnels at the speed of light. It was pitch black, not a sound could be heard as he zoomed through. If he still had his body, Meta Knight knew he would be quite green around the gills right about now.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of traveling through darkness, Meta Knight was spit out in the dark plain of the boy's mind. Though he could tell the boy was quite intelligent, he could also tell that he had a great many secrets to hide. Indeed as he looked on, he saw the shadows of the boy's mind, seeming to shield a great many secrets from the outside world.

The Star Warrior saw books covering every visible inch of Wrath's mind, indicating great intelligence and a love for literature. A sketchpad was tucked away in a corner, showing his artistry and his love for drawing. But still the shadows were thick around him, almost crushing him. The guardian of the Star Warrior had much to hide.

"You best speak up now," the boy murmured, surprising Meta Knight, "I know you're up there. I felt a disturbance in the air when you entered the room and I then felt that same disturbance in the deepest corner of my mind. I'm Wrath, by the way, Wrath Draconian."

The former Smasher collected himself before he spoke.

"_Indeed… I see you are quite the scholar…"_

Wrath shrugged.

"I suppose you can say that. My father makes me study every freaking hour of the day seven days a week! And don't get me_ started _on how annoying those damned Primids are! They've been following me around since I was 5! It's as if they think I still don't know how to read to something! How stupid could they get!?"

"_It seems like you have quite the father,"_ Meta Knight remarked, _"I am actually quite envious. You see, my own father…"_

"Sh!" Wrath interrupted, suddenly spiring up and pressing his ear to the door.

Footsteps, faint as can be, could be heard going down the halls. Neither of them were able to tell which direction these footsteps were headed, but Meta Knight could feel a tiny surge of fear well up within Wrath as the steps grew louder and louder. His pulse raced, his breathing came out in tiny little pants. Louder and louder these footsteps grew until they finally stopped right in front of Wrath's door. Pressing his hands together, the boy mouthed a silent prayer, begging anyone to save him from this situation. Meta Knight's curiosity rose.

A sharp rap at the door smashed his hopes to dust. "Wrath! Wrath Draconian, open the door this instant!"

Wrath groaned slightly before removing the bolt and wrenching the door to his room open. The dark outline of a tall, foreboding figure could be seen on the other side of the door. With calm, measured steps, the figure slowly stepped into the dim candlelight of Wrath's room.

And it was with a surge of anger and hate that Meta Knight looked upon this man.

Tabuu, Lord of Subspace…

"Wrath," the blue man said quietly, his smooth voice causing the Star Warrior's anger to rise, "Wrath, my son, why did you run from me?"

Wrath turned and straightened his spine.

"I… Forgive me, father… I didn't wish to have lessons today…"

The Star Warrior was taken aback.

"_Father…?"_

Wrath ignored Meta Knight's presence and instead turned his attention to Tabuu, who was gazing at him with a look that was like amusement. A smile tugged at the corners of his almost nonexistent mouth. Wrath's muscled stiffened under the Subspace Lord's unwavering gaze, wondering if he had done something wrong. There was always _something_ about that gaze that struck fear in his heart, always _something_ that would make him do anything his father told him, lest he wished to face the consequence.

Tabuu moved towards one of Wrath's windows, the same one Meta Knight had entered through not long ago and gestured for the boy to join him. After hesitating for a moment, Wrath carefully stepped forward. With a sudden flick of his arm, Tabuu wrenched open the black curtains that covered the window and allowed the light of day to shine through. Though it was not that bright, Wrath reeled in pain and flinched, trying his best to hide his pain from the somewhat gray light.

"Just look at you, my son," Tabuu laughed amusedly, "You probably haven't seen the sun in a week!"

"Months…" Wrath corrected under his breath, "Several months…"

In his mind, Meta Knight raised an eyebrow. Not seeing the sun for months? Even the greatest of all warriors must submit to training in the sun once in a while. It allowed for more time to spar with other worthy opponents.

"Come here, Wrath," Tabuu ordered once the boy was done cringing, "Come here and gaze out the window."

Still wincing slightly, Wrath carefully approached the window, as if it would fly out and bite him on the nose if he provoked it. With a shake of his head, Tabuu grabbed the boy by his shirt collar and dragged him over to the window, slamming his face against the cold, dirty glass in the process. Down below, the familiar sights of the blood stained grass and the disgusting streets of Smashville could clearly be seen. Meta Knight felt his stomach lurch as he saw this.

This wasn't right.

"Tell me, Wrath… what do you see?" the blue man asked.

Wrath swallowed and opened his mouth, choosing his words with great care.

"I see… blood… a lot of it…"

Tabuu's smiled widened.

"Ah… yes, there is quite a lot of blood… remind me to have the Primids clean up the riffraff later…"

"_Blood that you spilled."_ Meta Knight said angrily, though he knew Tabuu could not hear him.

"This is your kingdom…" Tabuu continued, sweeping his arm at the great mess of blood and decay before them, "Someday, I shall tire of ruling over this great world and when I am through, I shall abdicate and you shall rule in my place. My son, you are a great warrior, an excellent scholar… you shall bring this kingdom to even greater heights that I can only imagine. You, my son, shall be the beginning of the Age of Wrath…"

The Star Warrior sensed a great disturbance in the mind of his guardian, the intense thirst for power lashing out like a tiger against its cage. The boy was tempted by the prospect of all he could gain from being King of Smashville, the great riches and power that would come with being king. It was a glorious life, but a dark path to take.

_Shink!_

He knew that noise. It was the sound of a sword being whipped out of its sheathe. Silver suddenly flashed through midair as a single blade, sharp and deadly, whistled through the air, aimed right at the back of Wrath's throat. Had he been an inexperienced swordsman, this blade would have sliced right through Wrath's throat. But the boy was no novice.

In one swift, fluid motion, Wrath had his sword unsheathed and brought it up just in time to block the near fatal blow. Tabuu smirked at the sight of the two blades crossed. Though he was quite surprised that this attacker had suddenly appeared out of thin ear, he took care not to show it. Though the blade of this would be assassin was quick, Wrath's motions and jabs were swifter.

_Clink!_

The two blades met with great force, enough to cause both wielders to wobble a bit on their feet. Wrath, being the first to regain his senses, lunged for his antagonist, his blade aimed straight for his throat. The attacker, dressed all in black and masked, managed to block the boy's blow just in time with his blade, but was too slow to stop the oncoming onslaught of slashes Wrath delivered as soon as the two steel blades touched.

With a flurry of silver light, Wrath proceeded to slash at his opponent at lightning speed, eventually forcing the mask to fall right off. The attacker was of average height and build with sharp facial features and sea green eyes. He looked just like any other rebel who had so pathetically died on the gallows. Meta Knight felt the arrogant pride well up in his guardian, shaking his head as a smirk appeared on his face. Arrogance was a truly dishonorable thing for a swordsman to feel. His heart sank as the arrogance took control of Wrath's body, showing no mercy to his opponent.

Wrath lunged like a tiger, jabbing his powerful blade right through the man's arm. With a cry of pain, his antagonist wrenched the sharp blade out, his blood painting the dark wood floor. Wrath smirked as the precious flecks of crimson slowly spilled from the wound he had inflicted. A truly pathetic swordsman.

His opponent used this chance to aim a stab at Wrath's chest. With a small yawn, Wrath grabbed his arm and twisted the deadly weapon right out of his hand. It skittered to the floor. With another flick of his wrist, Wrath send his sword sailing through the air and into the man's stomach.

'AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!" the rebel howled, falling to his knees an0d clutching his stomach, "You… you… monster…"

Wrath smirked as his opponent coughed up blood.

"Monster? Me? You were the one who tried killing me, might I add…"

"Monster…" the man spat, "Coward… you hide… you hide behind you daddy… all day… don't you…?"

Tabuu let out a cold, cruel laugh.

"Hide? Didn't you just see what marvelous swordsmanship my son has shown you? To think that a warrior like Wrath would dare hide behind me while he is such a prestigious warrior? You underestimate him, Pathetic One…"

The man whirled on Tabuu, a growl escaping his lips.

"And you… you, _encouraging_ this kid to spill human blood!? What kind of father are you!?"

Tabuu laughed again, causing Meta Knight's anger to rise.

"A father who also happens to be a king!"

With that, he grabbed the man by his collar and held him aloft raising him about ten feet in the air.

"Wrath, my son, it is your call! What shall I do with this traitor?"

For the briefest moment, indecision flashed within Wrath's mind, giving Meta Knight a chance to finally talk to him. Summoning all the strength he had, the Star Warrior opened his mouth, trying to see if he could turn the tide on Wrath's decision.

"_He is correct, you know,"_ he pointed out, _"Taking the life of a fellow human, a human who has never wronged you is indeed monstrous."_

"Shut up," Wrath growled, "I'm not some five year old you can baby around, you know!"

"Wrath?" Tabuu asked, raising an eyebrow.

The indecision was back. Meta Knight sensed the great conflict within his guardian. He saw how the loyalty to his father's reputation, yet the overwhelming guilt of taking yet another life ate at the boy's soul, clouding his heart in a storm of confusion and rage.

_"Wrath... do the right thing... please..."_

"The gallows," Wrath said in a tight voice, his loyalty to his father winning over the ongoing battle in his heart, "Send him to the gallows."

Tabuu nodded, a smile tugging at his mouth.

"Very well, young prince…" He turned to leave, the man writhing in his strong grip.

"COWARD!!!!" the man bellowed, fixing his sea green eyes on Wrath, "PATHETIC PRINCE!!! USURPER!!!"

And there it was again. The pang of guilt gave one final spark of life. For the smallest moment, Meta Knight felt hope rise within him. He watched as Wrath glared back at the man and tightened his jaw, his muscles stiff.

"Wait, Father," Wrath said, his voice even tighter than before.

Tabuu stopped in his tracks and turned around, never relinquishing his grip on the traitor.

"Yes…?"

"Send him to the guillotine…"

Tabuu smiled and bowed low. "Of course…"

The Star Warrior's hopes were dashed once again.

_"Wrath... you fool..."_

* * *

Pit sighed. The moon was beautiful tonight.

Psyche and Heather had been traveling for quite a few days now, Heather's wounds still healing. She had gained quite a few deep gashes from the bite of Link's arrows and had it not been for Wolf's intervention and Pit's rescue, she probably would not have survived and even then she walked with a slight limp, but both he and Wolf had assumed it was because of her metallic leg.

He watched as she turned over in her sleep, sweating slightly as a bad dream of sorts overtook her. According to Wolf, she had one every night and they were always about her deep, dark past. Because the Smasher never talked about his guardian's past, Pit was completely clueless about the mysterious Heather Wolfon.

"_Nice night."_

Pit turned around and found himself face to face with a familiar gray cloud of smoke. He watched as this gray cloud twisted and writhed until a shape appeared, followed by detail and even clothes. The ghostly form of Wolf O' Donnell floated before him, a scowl on his face. The angel smiled sadly as he too took up the ghostly form of his old body. He would do anything to have his body again.

"_Nice, but it would be better if I actually had my body back,"_ Wolf remarked, his scowl deepening as he failed to snap a branch in half with his once powerful claw.

"_At least you have an actual 'Guardian'," _Pit said, casting a rather irritable glance as Psyche, _"Don't even get me started on how selfish, lazy…"_

"_Yeah, yeah, yeah,"_ the Star Wolf commander interrupted, rolling his eyes, _"On how bad she is. I. Get. It."_

He said those last three words with great emphasis, as if he was talking to a child. Pit crossed his arms and turned his back on his fellow Smasher, turning his attention back to the great glowing orb in the sky.

"_You shouldn't be so hard on her,"_ Wolf told him, breaking the icy silence that had fallen between them.

Pit scowled. _"You shouldn't be so soft on her…"_

Wolf's temper rose at his words. _"What's wrong with you?!? What's with the Mr. 'I'm Way Better than my Guardian' act?!? You used to be one of the… the…"_

"_The what?"_ the angel demanded, whirling on Wolf.

"_The…"_ Wolf struggled to find the proper word.

"Yes?" Pit raised an eyebrow.

"_The… the nice kids!"_ Wolf yelled, finally finding the word he was looking for, _"Yeah! You used to be one of those weird little goody two shoes kids that never broke the rules and always listened to the old hand, even though he was always kinda loony…"_

"_He was not!"_ Pit snapped, _"He was just… impulsive…"_

Wolf raised an eyebrow. _"You call spending thousands of Smash Coins planting pink petunias in every available garden space when you could use it to actually pay for a good chef who's NOT named Bowser impulsive?"_

Pit hesitated. _"Okay… recklessly impulsive…"_

"_Impulsive or not, you still listened to him and always was the good little boy. Blah, blah, blah,"_ Wolf pointed out, rolling his eyes, _"My point is, what happened to that kid? Ever since you got that guardian of yours, you've been acting like it's the freaking end of the world!"_

"_Because it IS the end of the world,"_ Pit snarled, _"I can't believe the fate of the entire world rests on… on HER shoulders!"_

"_Hers and all the other guardians,"_ the Star Wolf commander said patiently, _"Let's not forget that she ain't the only guardian in the bunch…"_

"_But out of all the humans, I get stuck with HER!"_ Pit ranted, _"Everyone else's guardian seems to be someone special or something! I mean, from the last time I was on Mount Smash, I heard Samus's guardian is a former Bounty Hunter of Tabuu! Link told us that his guardian is Hyrule's Prince…"_

"_Hyule's corrupted prince," _Wolf corrected, _"Riley or whatever his name is was corrupted the last time Fairy Boy talked to us."_

"_Ike has that mercenary guy, Yoshi has that girl who survived for a really long time, Pikachu's got that… that 'blessed' girl from the asylum, and look at you! You've got a wicked awesome, sometimes psychopathic, warrior… girl… person…!"_ Pit continued, ignoring Wolf's interruption, _"My point is, they're all special in one way or another! She's not! She's just some random slave girl who hasn't done a thing! Who…"_

"_Who managed to evade Marth,"_ Wolf finished.

Pit shook his head. _"She only escaped because I stepped in. Otherwise, she'd be dead…"_

"_So you're saying you're jealous of everyone else."_

"_Am not!"_ Pit yelled, looking aghast, _"I'm just saying why am I stuck with the laziest, weakest, most usele-"_

Wolf had had enough. His anger overtaking him, he strode up to where the angel stood and grabbed him by his opaque toga, shaking him in the process.

"_Listen, you! I don't know where the hell you left your brain when Tabuu stuffed you in that jar, but you've got to stop wallowing in your own self guilt and listen! I don't know where you've been for the past three days, but I do know what Heather's been doing! Look at her!"_

With amazing strength and speed for nothing more than a ghostly shade of his former self, Wolf wrenched Pit downwards and forced his gaze upon Heather. At first glance, Pit saw nothing different about the girl, save for how her long light brown and black hair was even more unruly and wind swept than the day they first met her.

But a closer look told him everything...

Her arms, her legs, her waist...everything was thin. Her skin had paled, paled to such a degree that she was white as a sheet. She looked weak, as if she had been starving herself for months. She was thin, almost skeletal as she stirred in her sleep, revealing her cracked and dried lips. Over the course of three days, she had been reduced from a fearful warrior to a mere skeleton, just about ready to crumble to dust. She looked as if she _would_ crumble to dust if an enemy so much as tapped her.

With a sudden lurch, Wolf wrenched Pit back up. _"Did you see that? DID YOU SEE THAT?!"_

Pit's stomach squirmed uncomfortably. _"Well, yeah but…"_

"_She hasn't eaten a thing for the past three days!"_ his fellow Smasher said angrily, his every word tight and pained, _"For three days, she's been giving up her food… her OWN food… to feed your guardian!"_

Pit looked down at Heather, taking in her skeleton like appearance and her cracked lips. He then turned to Psyche, who, he noticed, seemed just a bit rosier than when he had first met her. Though she was still stick thin, she slept with a look on her face that indicated a person who, though not fed enough, had been fed more than they had for years. A small smile was curled upon Psyche's lips, illuminating her grimy face. Pit turned away, his heart torn in two.

"_I… I didn't know…"_ he said weakly, casting a sideways glance at his guardian's sleeping form, _"I didn't know how much… how much your guardian sacrificed because of her…"_

Wolf heaved a heavy sigh and turned his gaze to the moon.

"_Heather's the kind of girl who's just so… so selfless! I don't get WHY she's like that! I mean, she's killing herself… she's killing ME! But… but she saw how weak that guardian of yours was and I guess she just snapped. Mike…"_

"_Psyche,"_ Pit corrected.

"_Whatever. Psyche didn't want any of her food, but Heather kept pushing it and pushing it at her until she finally gave in. I told her… I told her and told her that I needed her body to keep me alive… my life force is tied to hers now that we both share a body and mind. But she didn't listen… she almost never listens to me when I say my life is tied to hers…"_

"_But why didn't you stop her?"_

"_Because once that woman sets her mind on something, there's no getting her back! As much as I would rather have that guardian of yours die first so that Heather's and my own life line can go on for just a teeny bit longer, I had to let Heather do her thing! It was either she slowly give Psyche all the food or she'll jump off a cliff and let Psyche keep the food! And let's face it! I wanted to live for just a LITTLE bit longer! It's partially the only reason why I keep Heather around… she's got my life tied to hers. Otherwise, I think I'd rather possess someone like… say… Tabuu himself? A high ranking general in the army? But nope! I'm here working with the goody two shoes!"_

"_You were missing during Subspace War I…"_ Pit mused.

Wolf shrugged. _"I didn't want to unnecessarily hurt myself. Besides, those two Star Fox idiots were on your team. Who wants to work with THOSE guys?"_

Before Pit could answer, a strange force blew through the area. His senses on high alert, he looked around. Wolf felt this force as well and though he looked everywhere, his sharp eye sight was unable to detect even the slightest trace of the source of the strange force. Concern for his guardian welled up inside the angel as he floated closer to her. Had Wolf's words truly changed how he felt about her? He doubted it. Still unable to decide, Pit melted into Psyche's mind and waited.

"Psyche… Psyche…"

Pit felt his guardian jolt awake, her hand reaching for his bow. He felt a strange presence before her, a presence that seemed to thrum with life, yet at the same time, it was filled with sadness. The smell of death hung in the air. Psyche lifted her eyes to gaze upon the intruder.

And gasped.

In front of her stood a boy, a boy about her age. He was thinly built with shoulder length brown hair and deep brown eyes. a golden spark could be seen dancing within these eyes and his smile was so white it rivaled the stars. He was dressed in rags, the garb of the slaves in the factories. When Psyche's eyes met his, his smile widened and he held out his hand.

"_Whoa!"_ Pit shouted, diving out of the way as a whole avalanche of memories filled the girl's mind.

There she was, with this boy, playing together in a courtyard of sorts. Then another memory popped up and the two were both on their knees, side by side, while a whip cracked above them. Another featured Psyche bedridden with fever while the boy stood over her, applying a wet cloth to her burning forehead. On and on these memories flowed, and over and over he saw his name.

Austin…

"Y-You're…" Psyche stammered, "You… you can't… you…"

Pit pushed the memories aside, just in time to see the boy, Austin, kneel before his guardian until they were eye level. "I'm what?"

His eyes twinkled with pleasure at those words. Despite this, Pit couldn't help but sense something… off about him. Aside form the fact that he was supposed to be dead, there seemed to be an unearthly glow to his skin, as if he were made of light. In spite of the rags he wore, he seemed well kept, too well kept for a slave of any kind. His hair was brushed, his face cleaned, and his form held high. His eyes seemed like closed shudders and though a golden spark danced in the very center of each of them, the spark lacked warmth and life. There was just something Pit sensed that wasn't right about the boy, but Psyche seemed completely blind to these signs.

Rather, she had sprung up and leaped into the boy's arms, feeling the warmth of his body against hers.

"_Psyche…"_ Pit said uneasily, _"This isn't right… no one can come back from the dead…"_

If his guardian had heard him, she gave no sign. She only squeezed her lost friend all the more tired. Another sign rang alarms in Pit's mind. His body was just a tiny bit too cold for a natural human's.

"I thought… I thought you were dead…" Psyche murmured, silvery tears rolling down her cheeks.

Austin paused for a brief moment before answering. "Yes… well… not really. You see, those Smashers and Tabuu aren't bad at all! They're just really, really misunderstood. See, what happened was that Ike, Marth, and Roy were sent to take us to this… this place! Yeah, it's really cool and…"

Something from deep within Psyche's mind shouted a warning to her. A voice? Come to think of it, her old friend was acting pretty strange. Frowning slightly, she reached up and touched his cheek. Soft, warm…

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked, "You don't usually… act this way…"

Austin shook his head, sending his brown locks flying. "You worry too much. Come on, I have to show you where I've been all this time."

He held out his hand. Psyche hesitated for a moment, searching her mind for Pit's strangely reassuring presence. When she did not sense him, she gingerly took her friend's hand and allowed him to lead her out of the clearing.

"_PSYCHE!!!"_ Pit yelled, not understanding why she had not sensed his presence, _"Hello? Helloooooo? This is a really, really bad idea! Can't you hear me? Psyche? Psyche?!?"_

Up in the treetops, Wolf watched with wide eyes as Pit's guardian stood up and walked away, seemingly being led by some invisible force. Her hand was outstretched, her fingers entwined with what seemed like the air itself. But he saw how her great brown eyes were wide open, as if she were seeing something no one else did. He frowned. Why wasn't Pit stopping her?

Looking beyond the treetops in the direction she was headed, he saw her destination. A great cliff overlooking the sea. Whatever force it was seemed to be dragging the girl straight to the cliff. And once there, she would most likely fall to her doom.

Something had to be done!

Spurring into action, Wolf raced down to Heather's body, intending to wake her right away. But then he stopped, inches away from his guardian's ear. A conflict arose within him, creating a storm of confusion within his mind. Why did it matter to him if Pit and his guardian plunged off a cliff? That would mean Heather would stop giving up her food and he could live! The angel was certainly not a friend of his so why would he care?! Turning tail, he began to float back up to the trees to watch the show. But as he neared the top, a small pang in his heart stopped him. Despite his annoying complaints of his guardian, Pit had been a welcome companion after a hundred years of loneliness. Though Heather was a wonderful conversationalist, she could never speak to him when she slept and having no body of his own, there was no need for Wolf to sleep.

Wolf looked back at Psyche's retreating figure, watching as she inched closer and closer to the cliff. She still seemed to be dragged by an invisible force of sorts, her feet lightly skimming the dewy grass. He looked back at Heather, taking in her frail frame and her cracked lips. He sighed.

"_I better get karma points for this..."_ he muttered, diving straight down.

He slammed into Heather's mind with full force, scraping his chin on the ground. After dusting himself off, he nodded a greeting to Black Heather, who was still struggling against her chains and took a deep breath.

It was now or never...

"_HEATHER!!!! WAKE UP!!!!"_

His guardian sprang to her feet, crouching into a fighting position. When she saw no enemies around, she gave Wolf a small scowl before looking to her right, where Psyche slept.

She saw the empty blankets...

"Psyche?" Heather said worriedly, grabbing the grubby blankets and searching through them, "Psyche?! Psyche! Where are you!?"

"_That's what I woke you up for!"_ Wolf said indignantly, _"She's about to sleep walk off a cliff!"_

Heather immediately whipped her head in the direction of the cliff. Sure enough, there was Psyche's dark silhouette against the night sky, running in the direction of the cliff. Without another thought, Heather dashed after her, her metal leg clanking a bit as she hit trees and sticks.

But though Heather moved as fast as she could, Psyche was much faster on her feet. Cursing the metal leg she had received as a result of Tabuu's endless tortures, she tried to increase her speed, only to trip over a rather large tree root and fall. The cuts she had received from Link's arrows were freshly opened, covering her face in blood. She looked up in despair as she watched her companion stop at the very edge of the cliff, as if she were listening to something. Her heart hammering, Heather got up and followed Psyche, though her metal leg hindered her greatly.

"Psyche!" she yelled, inching closer, "Psyche NO! DON'T DO IT!"

For a brief moment, the girl's eyes flashed towards her, full of confusion and raging emotions. But just as the two young women's eyes locked, she diverted her attention to an invisible force in front of her, once again listening to whatever it was saying. Then, with a nod to this invisible force, Psyche took a few steps forward...

...and she tumbled right off the cliff...

Heather lunged forward to stop her, but she was too late. The few strands of the girl's hair she managed to grasp went through between her fingers as her traveling companion fell. Wolf saw Heather's panicked thoughts swirl around him as her fear grew, her heart racing even more than it did before. Memories suddenly flashed back of all the friends she had dying before her eyes, friends and innocent people who she couldn't save...

...including her own family.

But then it faded into an idea and Wolf saw it. It was an idea that could cost both Psyche's and Heather's own lives. An idea that could cost him his life as well.

"_Heather NO!"_ he commanded, trying to hold the stubborn woman back.

With a quick spring to her step, Heather closed her eyes and dashed forward. The wind whistled in her ears, her hair flew out behind her like a sheet of light brown and black. Tears stung her eyes though she did not know why and for a single, heart stopping moment, she stood there, suspended over the edge of the cliff.

But then, she did not feel a single regret as she leaned forward…

… and took the plunge.

* * *

_He leaned over his battle plans, his tongue between his teeth. It had been three days since the last time the enemy chose to strike. The camp was peaceful and quiet. Too quiet._

_He planned to unleash his army on the enemy camp the next day, when they least expected it. While most of his troops would engage his foes on the front lines, he would lead a group around a river to the backlines and surprise the enemy in their camp. The young man smiled in satisfaction. It was a flawless plan._

"_Sir?" a woman's voice asked._

_He turned around and found himself face to face with Her. The army commander wet his lips, his heart hammering as she approached. Her dress gently brushed the ground, her long blue hair flowing in the wind. As was usual with a Sage such as herself, she was dressed simply, grasping a book of spells in one hand. She smiled at him as she advanced towards him, her eyes sparkling with pleasure. He gulped. She had a nice smile…_

"_Sir…" she breathed, her cheeks reddening becomingly._

_He smiled at her in response. "Lilina?"_

_He relished the way her named rolled so easily off his tongue. Brushing her hair to one side, Lilina fixed her deep eyes on his, her expression serious. The way her gaze seemed to pierce him always made him rather uncomfortable, as if she could see into his very soul. But it was a quality of hers that he also enjoyed, especially since he could keep no secrets from her._

_Lilina frowned and for a moment, he saw tears in her eyes. "Oh… so you are going…"_

_He gulped. "W-Well… yeah… I mean, it's a really great honor to be invited to this tournament and everything…"_

"_I know…" Lilina said miserably, "It proves that you're one of the greatest warriors in the universe, or something special like that…"_

_A lump appeared in his throat. "Lilina…"_

_She shook her head, smiling up at him with her eyes. "I'm alright, really… I understand how important this tournament is to you. It's just that… I'll miss you…"_

_His bottom lip trembled at the thought of one whole year away from her. "And… I'll miss you, Lilina…"_

_For a brief moment, she seemed to wish to say something more, but then she turned away.\_

"_Well, I'll just leave then…" _

_She turned her back on him and headed for the exit, her head hung in sorrow. He mentally cursed himself for letting her go just like that and opened his mouth, as if to say something. But he knew that words weren't enough. He stretched out his arm and grabbed her shoulder, pulling the girl back in. His heart hammered as his skin made contact with hers, his chest heaved._

"_Lilina," he gasped, "You… you wanted to say something more, didn't you?" When Lilina was silent, he pressed her against his chest. "Tell me… what's wrong?"_

_He felt her hot tears rolling down her cheeks, wishing to cry as well. She pulled away from him and fixed him with those pure, innocent eyes. Then, she took a deep breath to steady herself and she spoke._

"_Sir… I'm sorry about the other day."_

_The commander frowned, confusion lining his thoughts. "The other day?"'_

"_I was on some nostalgia trip, remember?" Lilina explained, wiping away her tears, "We were in a war… of course things wouldn't be the same…"_

_A small smiled curled up on his lips as he gently cupped the appealing heart shaped face before him. "Well, some things will…"_

"_Like what?"_

_He leaned down so their foreheads touched, inhaling the sweet scent of primroses that simply radiated off of the beautiful woman before him. "I'll always be at your side and… and you'll be at mine…"_

_Lilina's face was a great mix of joy and shock. "Huh…?"_

"_We can't go back to the past, but we can shape the future," he continued, "Then we should work to make a future the same as, or even better than the past, right?"_

_Lilina let out a small giggle at his words. Puzzled, he gently let go of her face and instead placed his hands on her shoulders. Her tears were gone now and she smiled at him with a radiance that could rival that of the sun. She was a long ways away from the girl he knew when he was young._

"_Sir, you're showing off," she chided in between giggles._

_Fear swept through him at the thought of his arrogance. "D-Do you think so? Yeah… I was thinking that didn't sound like myself…"_

_She placed one of her slim fingers on his lips. "But…. Thanks…"_

_When she removed her finger, he pulled her closer, gazing deep into her dark eyes. "Lilina…"_

_She placed her head on his chest. "We'll always be together… right?"_

_For a brief moment, he paused, as if considering the thought. "… Of course…"_

* * *

"_We'll always be together… right?"_

"… _Of course…"_

He shivered. Those words had haunted him for the past hundred years. When he had returned from the tournament that one summer a century ago, they had celebrated. Just him and Lilina by his side. Long walks in the orchards, swimming in the lakes, cuddling by the fire at night, those were his fondest memories of the summer.

But what did she think when he did not return to her the summer after that? Was she angry? Hurt? Depressed?

His form shook with anger as his tormented mind produced each and every thought Lilina could have had when he did not return. What if she didn't care? What if she found a new man to love?

He hated that thought most of all. It ripped at him, gnawing at his mind and soul. It was truly a wonder why he hadn't yet gone insane.

Lightning crackled...

He didn't care.

His jar was lifted up and up...

He didn't care.

The container was slammed against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces...

He didn't care.

A strange force pulled him out into the world in a flurry of fiery orange smoke...

He didn't care.

His fellow Smashers hissed and cheered at his departure...

He didn't care.

Lilina's hurt, disappointed face floated in front of him, tears shining on her pale cheeks...

...he did care.

***is snoring on top of a huge pile of books***

**Pit: …. *pokes* Uh… okay… well, it looks like she won't be able to close this chapter, so I will. Thanks for reading the latest chapter and… um…**

**Link: And sorry for the late update. She had exams, her story for Pikana's contest and she also remembered that there's another story she's been neglecting and had to at least get started on it.**

**Zelda: She knows this chapter is too long and all the information is a bit hard to swallow. So visit her website and click on the Link…**

**Link: Not this Link!**

**Zelda: Click on the link that says "Guardians' Reports". It'll give you reports on how each revealed guardian is doing. It will be updated as often as the chapters to this story will come out. There's also an arcade and a section dedicated to the biographies of each guardian. But just remember that some sections, especially the biographies, will contain spoilers.**

**Pit: www(dot)pitftw(dot)webs(dot)com. That's her website. Also, there's a link on her profile if you're too lazy to copy and paste. That's all we've got to say! See ya!**


	13. Ridere and Traca

Traca and Ridere, the Fire Lord and the Superb Soldier

**Hooray for cheesy titles! Okay, so I realize that this thing really needs to move on with plot and stuff. So… until I can think of something better, it looks like I'm doubling up on Guardians.**

**So what excuses do I have for the super late update? Let's see… major writer's block, school, E3, my excitement over Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Kid Icarus: Uprising, and my Sims 2, Mario Galaxy 2, and Twilight Princess addictions. Galaxy 2 is amazing though!**

**I'll admit it now. This chapter might be kind of boring… it shows you guys how bad that stupid writer's block was. When it really got that bad, I eventually had to force myself to write at least one page a day so I can get it out. Hopefully, future chapters will be better.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, Ivysaur! Please don't sue me, Squirtle! Up the butt, Charizard! This disclaimer's really f(bleep)ing annoying, Charizard! Isn't that right, Craptain Falcon?**

"_It's too tight in here!"_

"_Have these vents shrunk or have we grown?"_

"I'm hungry!"

Ness glared over his shoulder at Kirby as he said those final words. He hissed a single curse as the pink puffball looked innocently back at him through the eyes of his guardian, not understanding what his glare meant. With a small shake of his head, he pressed on.

The two Smashers had been crawling through the vents of Hyrule Castle for quite some time now, taking care not to make too much noise. Kirby, innocent as ever, did not fully understand what it meant to sneak around, being wanted as they were. To him, it was just another trip to the kitchen.

"Ness, I'm hungry!" he whined, his high voice echoing around the dark corridor ahead of them.

Though the young boy felt a surge of annoyance pass through him, he was just barely to restrain himself from launching a good sized fireball to silence his young companion. Gritting his teeth, he chose to ignore him for the time being.

"_I don't get it,"_ Picho said in exasperation, _"Why are we sneaking around like a bunch of cowards? I say we set stuff on fire!"_

Ness rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that day. That question had been asked several times before. "I've told you already, Picho. If we run around setting things on fire, we'll just end up being captured _again_." He placed a great emphasis on the final word to try to drill it into his guardian's head.

For a few moments, Picho was quiet. _"… So… does that mean we can't get captured while burning stuff?"_

Ness heaved a small sigh. This was going to be one long search.

In truth, he was quite unsure of the circumstances of the situation at the moment. Link had had a very, very limited amount of time to smuggle both he and Kirby out of the cell and into a hidden room in the castle where they were then given instructions. From the rushed instructions they were given, Ness had deduced that Princess Zelda and her guardian were trapped somewhere in the castle. The Usurper had to be dethroned before any of the guardians currently trapped in Hyrule could get home. Since their guardians were able to fit through the vents, he and Kirby were both charged with finding their way through the vents, searching for information.

All Kirby had deduced from the explanation was a quick trip to the kitchen.

"Zel- Princess Zelda's in trouble," Link had told them, "Go through the vents, find her guardian, and gather as much information as you can." He had also shot a small look at Kirby at that point. "And no, Kirbs. No raiding the pantry."

Of course, they didn't listen.

It had taken most of Ness's strength to drag Kirby away from the pantry before they were discovered by the guards. Though it took both boys less than a minute to knock out the cooks, it had caused a great uproar in the halls, when Ness rather clumsily allowed one of the serving boys to escape. Now once again, their guardians were wanted men. He cursed himself for being so naive.

"It's been so long since I've eaten that turkey…" the pink puffball continued to moan behind him, "I'm dying!"

"Quiet!" Ness hissed over his shoulder, "Do you _want_ us to get caught?"

"But it's been soooooo looooong since we raided the kitchen!"

Ness couldn't help but gape at him over his shoulder. "But that was only about ten minutes ago!"

A small grumbling filled the vents at his words. Smiling sheepishly, Kirby lifted his guardian's sparkly shirt and patted his stomach. "See? My stomach's growling so much, it's shaking! Let's go back to the kitchen and pick up something!"

"_And get me a burger while you're at it!"_ Pichn said cheerfully, _"One with lots and lots of cheese!"_

"And pickles!" Kirby grinned.

"_And onions!"_

"And tomatoes!"

Ness gritted his teeth, trying his best to keep his temper under control. "Would you also like fries with that?" he asked sarcastically.

Kirby's eyes lit up at his words. "Yes please!"

"Get your hands off me!"

Ness let out a shout of surprise at the unexpected sound of the voice, banging his head on the ceiling. Kirby, who also heard the voice, was quite accustomed to such surprises and merely cocked his head in confusion. The muffled voices below them ceased their shouting for a moment, as if they were listening for the source of the strange banging noise Ness's head had created.

An icy silence fell in the area as Ness's blood froze in his veins, his breathing shallow as could be.

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

His breath caught in his lungs as the deadly head of a spear protruded from the opening of the vent, just barely grazing Kirby's arm. Though the scratch it made was not deep enough to draw blood, tears jumped to the young Star Warrior's eyes as the spear head felt around some more. Once it came dangerously close to Ness's face, but it moved away, much to his relief.

Meanwhile, Pichn was gaping at the spear head. _"Awesome! I want it!"_

Kirby nodded. "It's really cool looking!"

"_And sharp!"_ Picho added, grinning greedily at the sharpened point, _"Just think of what we can do with something like that!"_

Without thinking, Kirby reached for the head of the spear, ready to rip it from the grip of the soldier that held it. Quick as lightning, Ness extended his arm and held his wrist in an iron strong grip. A small, nervous smile escaped the puffball as he looked apologetically into his companion's dark, angry eyes. He turned his attention back to the spear head as it prodded some more.

Then, as if deciding that there was no one hiding in the vents, the deadly point was lowered and Kirby let out a small sigh of relief. That had been too close.

Kirby felt Ness's dark eyed glare boring into him as he shifted uncomfortably in his spot. "Sorry, Ness…"

Without bothering to acknowledge the puffball's apology, Ness turned his attention back to the scene below the vent. He watched as Rinku struggled with the guards that held him down, wondering how on earth someone so stealthy could be captured so easily. Then again, he reasoned, Link wasn't exactly known for his careful behavior.

"Unhand me you cretins!" he snarled, trying to stomp on the guards' toes, "Or I'll have your heads! And maybe all your other limbs while I'm at it!"

That sparked Ness's interest. Rinku, never spoke like that. He leaned in closer to the vent, watching as the desperate struggle soon transformed into a full on fight. He saw the blue pass over the young man's eyes as he aimed a back kick at the tender spot of one of the guards that pinned his arms behind his back. While the other guard shouted in surprise, he left himself wide open for a quick punch in the jaw.

Kirby's eyes widened when Rinku's fist connected with the guard's lower jaw. Lightning sparks danced around it for the briefest moment before disappearing again. The puffball blinked in surprise.

"_Whoa! Didja see that!"_ Pichn asked excitedly, _"He totally owned the guy!"_

But Kirby was not listening. He watched as Rinku grabbed the spear shaft of the third guard, fire dancing at his fingertips. With a great _whoosh!_ a great stream of fire burst forth from out of nowhere and engulfed the shaft.

"No way…" Ness gasped, his eyes glowing slightly at the sight of the orange flames, "Link hasn't used any magical attacks since he was the Hero of Time!"

"_Oh, so you let __**him**__ light things on fire?"_ Picho asked, offended.

Ness shook his head in disbelief as Rinku then rolled out of the way to avoid a thrust of a spear, giving him just enough momentum to aim a swift sweeping kick at the guard's feet. Despite the behavior of his fellows, this guard seemed to be quicker to learn than the others. He snatched Rinku's leg from midair and gave it a firm twist, slamming the young man's face on the floor. Before Rinku could retaliate with yet another blast of fire, he had jammed his leather gloved fist into his jaw, flooring him.

Kirby began to wring his hands in fear. "Ness, we need to help him!"

Ness gave a vigorous shake of his head. "No, too dangerous. Our mission right now is to-"

Pichn was aghast. _"What's up with that guy! Doesn't he care at all about Link… or Rinku… or whoever that is!"_

In spite of himself, Kirby let out a small sniffle at Pichn's comment. "I… I don't know… he didn't use to be like this…"

"I'm just looking out for you, Kirby," Ness said, trying to hold back his impatience, "Both Link and Rinku are great fighters. They can take care of themselves. For now, we need to concentrate on our job. Just… just stop being a whiney baby and-"

Tears rolled down the puffball's cheeks at the insult. "S-See? You used to be so much fun to be around! A-And… and you used to actually help people in need! Now you're… you're..."

"I'm what?" the boy asked dangerously, his eyes darkening.

"_Ness, maybe you shouldn't…"_

At that moment, the poor Star Warrior lost it. Angry drops of salt water poured down his cheeks as he shot a determined glare at his former friend through the eyes of his guardian. "Y-You're… you're a big bully! You used to be the coolest guy around and now you're just a big, fat bully! You never have fun anymore and it's all business to you now! You used to help us play tricks on the older guys all the time and now… now all you care about is getting back to your body!"

"Oh, so you're saying I actually grew up then?" Ness retorted, "Well, I've got news for you, wise guy! I _have_ grown up! In case you haven't noticed, it's been a hundred years since I last played a single prank on anyone and a hundred years can change a lot of people! It's like you're the only one who's still… still a big baby about everything!"

"_Burn!"_ Pichn commented, _"That's cruel!"_

"_Ness, that's pretty harsh…" _Picho told him uneasily, _"May you should tone it down a bi-"_

"But at least I'm still nice!" Kirby countered, more tears rolling down his cheeks, "At least I actually care about something _besides_ getting back to my own stupid bo-"

"You know as well as I do that to help out any of our guardians, we need our bodies!" Ness interrupted, "This is war, here! Get it, Kirbs? W – A – R! There's not time for niceness around here! Everything's going to change, Kirby, whether you like it or not."

Kirby let out a wail, not caring that the sound of hand to hand combat had stopped for a brief moment at his sound. "You're right! I don't like it! I _hate_ it! I _hate_ it how everything's changing! I was fine being in a jar for a while, but when I get out, everyone's been changed so much! And you… you've changed the most, Ness! You used to be one of my best friends…"

"_He's right, Ness,"_ Picho said reasonably, _"I mean, from what I heard about the Smashers-"_

"Me? Changed the most!" Ness seethed, his fury rising to breaking point, "_I'm_ not the only one who changed! Look at Link! He used to talk and then he just stopped talking one day! Marth used to be sensitive about _everything_ and now he's out there spilling guts and who knows what else! Pikachu used to never be afraid of anything and now he's afraid of his own guardian! Samus doesn't have as quick of a temper! Luigi used to pee his pants at the sight of a cockroach and before we left, he promised to be as brave as us! Metaknight used to be so cold and now he's opened up to everyone! Gosh darn it, Kirby! You think that we've all changed? Of _course_ we've changed! We've _grown up_!"

"_Ness…"_ Picho warned, taking note of Kirby's increasing tear flow.

But Ness took no heed. "_You're_ the only one that's still some blubbering baby that can barely walk around without someone holding your hand! _You're_ the one that won't last two seconds against a battle with those Primids! Well, I've got news for you, in a war, _there are no holding hands_! You have to fight and survive on your own and in case you didn't know, you have to _grow up_ and _learn_ how to do that! So just suck it up and just freaking _grow up_!"

He placed extra emphasis on the final two words, slightly satisfied with himself for giving Kirby what he deserved. He watched the tears flow down the puffballs cheeks and felt a faint surge of guilt, but quickly covered it up. The puffball deserved it, he reasoned, and that was that.

When he turned his attention back to the vent, his anger rose. Rinku had finished up beating the guard and was currently wiping some blood off of a pair of sharp needles that he seemed to had gotten out of nowhere. To his great surprise, the young man's eyes flashed a deep crimson, rather than Link's signature sky blue.

Then, a great _crack!_ sound through the air, followed by a flash of white light. For a brief moment, Ness was locked in a daze, a feeling that he had not experienced since his last Brawl match when he ran into a Deku Nut. In the blink of an eye, the flash disappeared and Rinku was gone.

Gritting his teeth in anger, Ness wheeled on Kirby, who was using Pichn's shirt to wipe the tears still dripping down his cheeks. "See what you did? Now he's gone!"

In Kirby's mind, Pichn curled his fist. Kirby, though his spirit was by now over a hundred years old, was still a child at heart. He didn't deserve to be treated like this.

"_Don't let him get to you, Kirby,"_ he said huffily, _"He isn't worth it."_

"I-I… d-do-don't… l-like… ch-ch-change…" Kirby hiccupped, still wiping away his tears.

"Didn't I just finish telling you? There _are_ changes and there are going to be _more_ changes," Ness huffed.

He braced himself, expecting more tears from the pink puffball. To his surprise, a dark look of acceptance mixed with pity passed over his companion's face. When he spoke, his voice was free of hiccups.

"When I first heard from Pit, I thought he changed the most out of all of us," he whispered, "He was so mean… he didn't like his own guardian… he didn't crack a smart joke or anything… he was just so… so different…But when I talked to you today… I saw that Pit wasn't the only one that lost some of the best things about him…" He heaved a sigh, his bottom lip trembling. "Pit used to be a really nice guy… then, when he met his guardian, he changed just like that… Link used to be kind of quiet, but he still talked occasionally… then he just stopped talking at all one day… Wolf used to be real mean, but he had a lot of time to think about everything he did and I think he's just a bit nicer… Ness, I thought we would be friends forever…" His throat tightened as he said this. "When I first met you, I hoped that you and me… we'd always be friends… I thought that even if we fought a little, we'd always forget about it and make up. I guess… I guess what I'm saying is…" He swallowed. "Is that if you keep acting like this… I… I can't be your friend anymore…"

Silence fell between the two, broken only by the almost inaudible sound of both Picho and Pichn biting their bottom lips at the same time. Ness felt a weight go through him, bypassing all barriers and finally landing in his stomach. He felt weakened, tainted. It was as if a piece of his very soul had broken off and disappeared into the night. Twice he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it and set his jaw. So be it.

"We'll talk about this later," he said tightly, trying to keep his voice from quavering, "Until then… we've got a mission to complete."

With that, he shoved Kirby aside and crawled on ahead, the sickening pain in his stomach growing larger and larger with each passing second. He passed under a few trickles of water, leaks of what he assumed to be the moat of Hyrule Castle, or perhaps a leak in the plumbing that ran above. To his great annoyance, the water dripped on top of his head and ran down his face. He raised his hand to wipe away some of the drops, but still they kept coming.

Strangely, some of them tasted of salt.

* * *

His palms were sweaty. His very form shook under the light layer of chain mail he wore. He didn't understand why he chose to come here in the first place, especially since he had made a childhood vow to stay away from this place and all places such as this for the rest of his life. Why, oh why, did he have to come here? Why now?

Why ever?

In his mind, Link rolled his eyes. _"Just open the door already! Sheesh!"_

Rinku gulped and tugged nervously at his collar. "Uh… well… maybe there's another way we can-"

"_There's nothing in there that'll eat you,"_ the Chosen Hero said with forced patience, _"Just open the door."_

Rinku extended his hand, but hesitated over the door handle, his palm covered in sweat. He was still shaking, still too tense to lower his hand. The handle glared at him forebodingly, challenging him to grasp it and pull. He gulped, withdrawing his hand.

Link banged his head against a wall in Rinku's mind. How could a warrior so courageous on the battlefield be so cowardly in the face of a mere unknown room?

"It's not like I _need_ to be here," the young man amended, removing his hand, "I mean, there are plenty other rooms in this place that-"

As the young man babbled on, Link sat back and closed his eyes. This door seemed familiar somehow, with its mahogany finish and the carvings of the adventures of his ancestor, the Hero of Time upon it. He remembered being dragged here often by the princess, despite his protests that he would rather be on the training grounds. He remembered lost hours in this room with Princess Zelda, lost in another world, perhaps that of the fabled Hero of Winds or the legendary Savior of Seasons and Ages. He remembered sitting side by side, just the two of them, as the sky outside darkened and turned to night. What was this place? Why did he feel so miserable when he thought of it?

Link looked up. His patience was wearing thin.

"_Is there anything you'd like to share with the class?"_ he asked, gritting his teeth.

Rinku gulped. "N-no sir!"

"_Then do me a favor and… OPEN THE STUPID DOOR ALREADY!"_

Wincing in pain, Rinku reached out and wrenched the door open with a deafening _creak!_ The unpleasant sound of not oiled hinges filled the air as a cool draft wafted through the open doors. Link recognized this smell. It was the smell of old, dusty books, the sweet scent of knowledge just waiting to be learned.

It was at that moment he remembered.

It was the royal library.

"_The library?" _Link asked, surprise evident in his voice, _"You were afraid to go into the library!"_

Rinku grinned sheepishly. "W-Well… my tutors and I didn't exactly have a great history in here, so…"

"_They whipped you, didn't they?"_

Rinku winced, a horrible sting running down his spine as he remembered the sharp crack of a whip across his shoulders. "More or less… and occasionally bury me in a pile of books if I didn't do the reading…"

"_That's nice,"_ the hero interrupted loftily, _"Go in."_

Rinku did a double take. "Wha-"

"_Go in,"_ Link repeated, _"We have to get researching soon if we're going to get to the Smash Mansion."_

Fighting back his intense reluctance, Rinku forced himself to walk in, casting nervous glances at all the darkened corners of the room. Reaching into a hidden pocket of his armor, he pulled out a small match and struck it, holding it aloft. The tiny flame from the little match illuminated the room just enough for the young prince to spot a candle wick on the table next to him. After lighting that, he put out his match and looked around.

It wasn't all that much different from the library he remembered studying in with his tutors. In fact, he was still able to see the tiny drops of blood that fell upon the little wooden table, as if one of his tutors had just whipped him yesterday. He saw the ruby eyed dragon, his father's crest, curled upon a jet black tapestry in the very back of the room.

Most of the books, the ones about Ancient Hyrule especially, looked like they hadn't been touched in years. There were tiny piles of ashes here and there, as they were once the books that described King Daphnes's, Zelda's father's, reign.

The reign now lost.

"Good times," Rinku grumbled sarcastically as he turned his back on the tiny stains of blood, "Real good times…"

Link too gazed at the jet black tapestry with its ugly worm of a dragon, his anger rising. Who dared tear down the tapestry featuring the three sacred triangles that had adorned the back wall of Hyrule Castle for so many years? The Triforce, the crest of the Hylian Royal Family, had been torn down, destroyed, by the Usurper King.

"_W-Where… how…?" _Link whispered in disbelief.

"Burned," Rinku answered simply, "Burned three days after the king fell."

Silence fell between the two. Link fidgeted slightly in his guardian's mind, unable to think of anything else to say to him. By the time he opened his mouth to speak, Rinku was already browsing the nearest shelf, his fear of the library now gone because of the tiny light he held in his hand. He brushed some dust off the spine of one book, revealing it to be one on poetry.

"Well, where should we start looking?" he asked, gingerly removing a thick novel off the shelf, "There are at least a thousand of these things in here!"

"_Then get reading!"_ Link told him cheerfully, _"Try starting with the 'old folktales' section and then work your way throu-"_

Rinku lifted his eyes to the heavens. "Why great goddesses? Why did I have to be the one stuck in the library!"

"_Because you're the one that can't fit in the vents,"_ Link answered briskly, _"Start reading."_

Irritation ran through Rinku's mind at that command. "Who died and made you king?"

Without even waiting for an answer, he grabbed a large volume off the nearest shelf and dragged it over to the table. Dust filled his eyes and nose, causing them to water severely. Taking care not to breathe in the dust, he sat down and began to read.

_Though there are many heroes throughout the history of Hyrule and possibly in many other worlds besides who gained recognition and honor for their deeds, there was not a greater honor than being accepted into the Tournament of Smash Brothers, where one's fighting prowess and intelligence was put to the test…_

"_Not really much to say there…"_ the Chosen Hero observed, _"Is there a part where it describes how to actually get there without being summoned?"_

Rinku flipped through the pages, his eyes and nose watering from the copious amounts of dust that flew forth from the yellowed pages of the ancient volume. "Nothing… unless you want to read about how 'honorable' and 'wonderful' the entire tournament is."

"_Check the index,"_ Link ordered, his mind racing, _"There's got to be some kind of passage describing what it's like when the Smasher disappears… we have to close our eyes when we're being transported to Smashville, but surely someone's seen what it's like in the past…"_

Reluctantly, Rinku picked up the book, letting out a cough or two as at least a pound of dust poured from its pages. As he did so, a thin object fell out form between the pages, clanking to the floor before he could catch it. It rolled a bit upon hitting the floor, making small clanking noises as it went. It finally stopped near a book shelf, glowing slightly in the light of the single flame.

At the same time, a single piece of paper fell out as well, yellowed with age. Link recognized this as sheet music, but having grown up in a simple village, he took little interest in it. Rinku managed to catch a quick glance at the title as it fluttered to the table: "_The Elegy of Smash_".

Link's interest was trained on the mysterious object. _"What was that?"_

Rinku stooped down to pick it up, careful not to drop it or squeeze it too hard. It was a fragile looking thing that was shaped in the form of a wedge of sorts. As the young man turned it over in his fingers, a strange, mysterious power seemed to pulsate from it, radiating a great energy.

Weak though this energy was, he could feel it and it filled him with a sort of power, a potent energy that rushed through his veins to his very toes. He gingerly turned this wedge over in his fingers, marveling as the object seemed to pulse with life.

Though dust clung to the surface of the web like a spider to its prey, he could just barely make out a pattern of swirls gently dancing upon the surface of the delicate object he held in his hands. And he saw the energy that pulsed from deep within it coming off of it in waves, watching as faint colors seemed to swirl within this wedge. Blue, red, green… every color of the rainbow and all the colors in between seemed to live and breathe as they danced around.

Link frowned as he stared at this strange object, wondering why it seemed so familiar to him. As he felt the energy radiate off the wedge, he thought he could hear a voice. It seemed to sing to him, filling him with peace and belonging. The pulsating colors seemed to move with the music.

His sharp blue eyes caught the jagged edge of the wedge, as if it had once been part of a whole thing, but was shattered long ago. He searched through his memories, but found nothing. The wedge remained a mystery to him.

And still the singing never ceased.

_Audi famam illius_

_Solus in hostes ruit_

_Et patriam servavit._

_

* * *

_

The wind whistled through her hair, her eyes were bright and alert. It was a strange feeling, standing in this strange place, with no one but her dearest friend for company. She looked up and met his eyes, deep brown and beautiful. She smiled. He grinned back.

"So what do you think, Psyche?" Austin asked, gesturing to the clearing.

All around them, colorful tents were set up. Lively music could be heard wafting up from a fiddle of sorts and the sweet aroma of freshly cooked food danced circles in the air. Psyche closed her eyes and breathed in, as if she was truly breathing for the first time. This was paradise.

She felt a light tug on her arm as the boy she had followed began pulling her towards the nearest tent. His grip was unusually strong, stronger than the grip she knew and colder than ice. Then, as if she was waking up from a dream, the image of the clearing before her began to shimmer and quake.

"Psyche… don't… not… danger…" a voice called from deep within the crevices of her mind.

In front of her, Austin stopped, his shimmering form frowning in confusion. "What's wrong? Don't you wanna meet the others?"

He was less solid now, his body began to fade. Psyche blinked. Her old friend solidified once again.

"Psyche?" Austin asked, worry clouding his voice, "Psyche? Hellooooo?"

Before she could pull away again, he reached out and grabbed her arm. The girl flinched at his touch, but soon relaxed. It was now soft and warm, the exact touch she remembered. Her confusion faded and the voice disappeared. She grinned and allowed herself to be led into the clearing.

Pit kicked the wall of his guardian's mind, his anger rising with every passing second. Was his guardian really that stupid? Did she not notice how the images shimmered right before her eyes? The weightlessness of her every step? The unfamiliar grip of her friend's hand on her arm?

"_PSYCHE! SNAP OUT OF IT!"_ he screamed, though he knew his efforts were futile.

He had to do something, quick. There was just something about Psyche's old friend that made him untrustworthy. Though he seemed nice and the memories his guardian had of him were full of fondness, there was still something that wasn't right.

Pit took another look at the boy's eyes. They were the exact shape and shade of brown Psyche remembered, yet at the same time, they weren't those same eyes. His grip felt familiar, yet so foreign at the same time.

Pit walked to the very back of his guardian's mind and began searching through her memories, trying to find a clue. Suddenly, there was a great gust of wind, as if a tornado had decided to take up residence in his guardian's mind. The angel was thrown right off his feet and slammed against the wall, getting buried in who knows what in the process.

Sputtering in utter shock, Pit threw off the numerous books and things and looked up at the white portal that allowed him to look out. He dropped his things in astonishment.

A great beast awoke deep inside his chest, rearing its ugly head and letting loose a great and terrible roar. Anger, hate, betrayal, and another feeling he dared not name filled Pit's mind, causing his vision to turn red. Wait, not red…

Green.

With a battle cry that shook the heavens, the former Smasher lashed out with his powerful twin blades, hacking and slashing at the horrifying image before him. He stabbed and he stabbed, over and over again he stabbed. But it did little more than make the image shimmer slightly before it materialized again. The beast in his chest continued to roar and it too soon added its anger and power to his. With every attack his anger rose, rising almost to breaking point.

All too soon, he gave up, collapsing to his knees in anger and shame. Sobs wracked his body, his anger fading to a mere whisper. He didn't understand.

He held no love for his guardian. She was useless and weak, unable to even fire an arrow properly let alone fight. The only thing that she was needed for was to keep his life force intact, to help him exist in this world while his body was corrupted and evil. Once this battle, no, this war was all over, she could do whatever she wished, love whomever she wanted. It did not matter to him how she chose to spend her life as long as he was no longer a part of it. She could spend the rest of her life at her dead friend's grave for all he cared.

But why did he feel so protective?

His overwhelming feelings did not make him notice the loud resounding thud inside of his guardian's mind...

* * *

_SLAM!_

The scream of pain from his guardian shook the walls of the new home of Wolf O'Donnell. He cried out in shock as he scavenged to see what had happened.  
She hadn't landed on her back. She hadn't landed on her front. She hadn't landed on her head either. As for a matter of fact, she had landed on her two feet and neither leg was broken.

But she was in the most excruciating pain he had felt so far...

Heather instantly let go of Psyche and collapsed on the ground upon feeling the shooting pain burst within her left leg. She continuously kept roaring in pain,

completely unable to think of anything.

_"Heather! HEATHER! LISTEN TO ME! HEATHER!"_ Wolf desperately called out to his guardian.

Heather barley managed to hear his voice.

"W-Wolf..." she stuttered as she growled loudly in pain.

_"You stupid girl! I knew you'd-"_

"_No_ let me explain! My left leg..." Heather cut him off. Her shaking left hand pulled up her jeans.

A horrible burn along with deep scars engrossed themselves in the leg. A bandage was wrapped around the burn and Hylian was tattooed black on her left leg. Wolf could barely make out the metal plate on her knee.

"T-That...that's my weak spot on my body...it causes me more pain than being stabbed three times in the chest...it causes me the most physical pain of all...it was either break my back, my ribs or kill myself by snapping my neck or land on my feet and bear the excruciating pain..." she explained.

Wolf instantly felt guilt. So she was actually trying to save herself...well, this time she had tried anyway and had succeeded.

_"How did you get that scar?"_

"..." Heather remained silent.

_"Heather...?" _Wolf asked in concern.

"You live inside my mind Wolf...surely you'd be able to find out yourself." she stated.

_"You really think it's that easy for me to see your memories! You block them out all the time! They're all black blotches!"_ Wolf snapped.

"..." she again remained silent.

Wolf then lost his temper completely.

_"YOU'RE SO FRICKING CARELESS! DO YOU NOT CARE OR DEVOTE TIME TO YOURSELF FOR ONE SECOND? HAVE YOU NOT DONE THAT AT ALL IN YOUR LIFE?" _

"OF COURSE I BLOODY HAVE! I TRIED TO KILL TABUU AND MY UNCLE TO AVENGE MY FAMILY!" Heather roared back.

_"BUT DOESN'T HE TREAT EVERYONE LIKE CRAP NOW? HUH? SURE IT'S PERSONAL BUT I BET YOU WANT TO SAVE EVERYONE ELSE TOO! YOU STUPID GIRL, YOU CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE!"_ Wolf roared.

A massive wave of hurt and mental pain swam through her mind at that point. But Wolf did not care.

_"Listen to me. Us smashers...look what happened to us. LOOK AT US! We're stuck in JARS! We have been for 100 YEARS and now we're taken to live inside different people's minds. 100 years ago we got defeated by Tabuu. 100 YEARS AGO and now look what's happened! You see? We failed to save everyone! All our friends as we know it are dead! My team mates are dead! Yoshi's island is destroyed! Ike's friend's are gone! Ness's family is dead! We failed to save them and we're never gonna see them again! NEVER! Why? CAUSE WE FAILED. FAILED! FAILED FAILED FAILED FAILED FAILED!"_ Wolf screamed.

A moment's silence occurred as Wolf sat down on his knees, breathing heavily. It was about damn time this girl had some sense knocked into her. Why could she not realise she had to live for him! For him! She'd be killing him too if she died!

_"...my team mates were the only real friends I had. I longed to live the life I had before after the SSB tournament. But then that bastard had to come back and take it all away from me forever! I can never go back to what I was! I wasn't strong enough...and now, I have the chance to avenge him for taking away what I lost. He took my pride, my strength, my power, he took away the fear that people had of me, he dishonored me and not just me, but every single one of us Smashers!"_ Wolf's teeth gritted as his fist shook in anger.

"..." Heather still remained silent.

_"...Heather...do you understand now why you can't just recklessly put your life in danger like this anymore? Your life is already in danger as it is not by force and yet you force yourself to put it in danger for others. Consider this for a moment - how can you protect everyone you love...when you can't even look after yourself?" _at this, Wolf's voice trailed off sadly.

"...I can...I can look after myself...I have done so-"

_"No you haven't. You never have and you never will. Even when your sister got killed, that Regenade saved you and looked after you. He trained you to what you are today. Then you decided that you were capable of taking care of yourself and strong enough to take on Tabuu. But you weren't...and you're not...and you never will be. Because no person goes solo. No one. Not an assassin, not a criminal. How did Tabuu take your family away from you? Your own uncle betrayed you to him. He didn't do it himself - someone else HELPED HIM DO IT."_

At long last, Wolf felt the rush of realization smash into Heather's mind. Of course only a reference to her dark past, to her family, could reach the girl.

_"You didn't train yourself, someone helped you do it. Even when you were in The Subspace Army, you were trained by someone else to do it and your sister was there to support you. You've never taken care of yourself, Heather. NEVER and now, it's me watching you. But you've got to watch me too...I can't do all the work. We've both got to watch each other, okay? 'Cause we both want the same thing...and the only way it's gonna happen is if we help each other do it. Tabuu smashed me down, I couldn't do it alone. He smashed you down, you couldn't do it alone. But the two of us...along with the rest of the smashers and their guardians...we can do it. We can take the damn guy down. You'll get your vengeance and your justice just like us. You just can't do it alone. All right? So get up and find help for Psyche right now, 'cause I highly doubt you have medical experience."_ Wolf instructed her.

Heather nodded in reply, standing up...

...to face a purple eyed Psyche staring into her eyes.

"What the?" she said in confusion and without warning, Psyche rushed forward and raised her sword. She yelled in shock, whipping out her metal arm just in time. Sparks flew from the metal as Psyche pressured the force of the sword on her.

_"What's wrong with her?"_ Wolf asked.

"PSYFORCE!" Heather send a wave of psychic which blasted Psyche across the floor. Wolf felt the worry that filled his guardian, but as it turned out, Psyche was barely hurt at all. She turned to look at Heather and fiercely glared into her with dark, purple eyes. She let go of her swords and lunged forward again at Heather and this time grabbed her throat, pinning her to the rock wall. Heather gagged, struggling to concentrate on her psychic power to push Psyche away again.

_"KEH HA HA HA HA! DO YOU SEE? She's possessed...she's full of bloodlust...just like me...let me have a go at her...I wanna challenge...I'd love to taste her blood as victory, HA HA HA HA HA!" _Black Heather cried.

_"Possessed...great. What now?" _Wolf thought in despair.

_"Easy! Let me have a go at her! Let me taste her blood! She can have some of mine if she asks really nicely too!" _Black Heather roared in manic laughter.

But soon, Wolf saw Heather's mind slowly turning black. She was losing it.

_"DAMMIT HEATHER!" _Wolf got ready to take over.

_BANG!_

Psyche suddenly stuttered before Heather. She loosened her grip from Heather's neck as she walked back two steps. She looked down to see a gunshot wound on the left side of her torso. She collapsed on the ground.

"NO!" Heather yelled, but stopped when she saw a man with her gun. Instantly, Heather's sword and staff came out, ready to take him on.

The man almost dropped the weapon he held under her piercing gaze, but held his ground. Heather saw that he was actually rather short, with dark blonde hair and blue green eyes. He was quite thin as well, and she saw the tiniest shiver go through him as his eyes darted from her sword to her staff. Possibly the most prominent feature about him were twin scars just under his left eye, sword slashes, most likely.

Wolf, also analyzing the young man also noticed the clothes he was wearing. He recognized them as the clothes of a pilot, most likely one who flew a powerful fighter jet of sorts. Off in the distance, he saw what looked like an exact replica of his old Arwing parked nearby. No doubt, the stranger's helmet and belongings were in there as well. He frowned quizzically, unsure of whether or not the stranger was a friend or foe.

Heather raised her staff and aimed it directly at the man's chest, ready to send a bolt of psychic magic at him. Powerful energy began to pulse from her fingers, channeling into the staff. Just one shot and it'd all be over…

"No wait! I just saved you! I was saving you from her!" the man shouted, holding his palm up in a gesture of surrender.

"You didn't have to kill her for it!" Heather roared in anger, the energy still pulsating around her staff.

"I didn't shoot her in a severe spot! She's not dead! I just knocked her unconscious...see for yourself, trust me." the man assured Heather with a calm voice.

_"He's right, you don't know if she's dead."_ Wolf told his guardian.

Heather slowly lowered down her weapons and knelt down near Psyche. She put her two fingers on her left hand to check Psyche's pulse.

It was still beating.

"...she's alive." Heather breathed in relief.

"See, I told you. Now we need to get her some place safe." the man said.

Heather suspiciously looked at the man before asking.

"...who are you?"

The man smiled and replied.

"Eric."

* * *

"Captain!"

Squall's wrenched his head up, almost banging the ceiling at the sudden intrusion in his private study. He had been studying some maps and was deeply intent on finding a good place to raid. He hated it when he was interrupted. With a scowl, he turned to glare at one of his crew.

"What is it?" he spat angrily, "Can't you see I'm busy here?"

"Sir, we've sighted land!" the pirate blundered on, spitting foul smelling flecks of saliva in the young captain's face.

Squall rolled his eyes. "Your point being?"

The pirate hesitated for a moment before answering. "Sir, Lord Tabuu's sending out search party of them bounty hunters to look for some slave lass that escaped…"

This sparked Squall's interest. "Go on…"

"The girl, Captain! We can sell the girl!"

Squall tapped his fingers on his desk, deep in thought. Low on money and provisions, it would be a true blessing for the ship to dock at shore and unload some… unnecessary cargo. Then again, he reasoned with a scowl, the girl they held hostage now might not be the one Tabuu was searching for. And it was _never_ a good idea to piss off the Lord of Subspace.

Squall waved his worries aside. If the girl proved to be the wrong one, he could always escape and leave his crew behind. They were just a few petty little lives, after all.

"Fine. We'll dock in Smashville and sell the girl. She'll fetch a fair price and we would have made an honest bargain."

_Snort!_

Squall's anger flare at the noise. Reaching forward, he grabbed the unfortunate man by the shirt and brought him off his feet. "What was that!"

The pirate struggled to free himself, but Squall held him in a vice like grip. Giving up, he turned his fear filled eyes into the cold, heartless jet black ones of his captain's. He gulped.

"It wasn't me, Captain! I swear!"

With a sudden jolt, he was thrown right out the door, the pitiless eyes of his captain following him. Squall dusted his hands off and spat in his direction.

"Next time you interrupt, you better have a good reason!" he snarled, slamming the door shut.

Up above, an army brown cloud of gas heaved a heavy sigh. If this is what kids were like these days, he couldn't say that he was eager to meet his guardian. Squall reminded him of a young man that was just too young for such authority and power over his own crew. An authority, he thought grimly, that would've been more fit to a person like his old Colonel.

He shook his head. There was no time to complain now. He had been thrust out into the world only seconds after the cloud of fiery orange gas known as Roy had been released. Truth be told, he wasn't all too happy about being freed.

It only made his job harder.

He phased through the ceiling of Squall's cabin and found himself hovering over the ship. Unsure of where to go, he hesitated for a moment before the same strange force that brought him here gave him a small tug. Turning in the direction of the tug, he was just barely able to pick up the smallest amount of movement from down below.

Bingo.

"Target locked," he muttered out of sheer habit before diving towards the deck. He made it just in time to catch a flash of orange and green hair disappear behind a door before it slammed shut. One good thing about being smoke, he thought, was that he could go anywhere now, regardless of doors.

He phased through the door, a simple thing for a cloud like him. He was met by a rather short boy with the same colored orange and green streaked hair he had seen earlier. His wide, innocent face was twisted in concentration as he stared at a pot on top of the stove. His eyes darted back and forth, watching as the pirate wearing an apron carefully added something to the pot, stirred once, and walked away. Snake heard the boy draw in his breath.

As soon as he heard the door on the other side of the room close shut, the boy sprinted out of his hiding place and in one swift, fluid motion, grabbed a small cup from the shelf above and scooped some of the rather thin looking soup into it. In the exact same amount of time it had taken him to do this, the doorknob of the door he had been watching so intensely began to turn. Taking care not to spill the soup, the boy skittered away just as the door opened and the cook came back.

Snake was quite taken aback by the boy's stealth and speed. His small size had allowed him to move at a lightning pace and he had carefully timed his movements so well that he was able to steal food in the blink of an eye. What was more, Snake noticed that there was one less piece of hardtack on the plate on the counter than there was before. In spite of himself, a smile crossed his features. The boy was a natural.

But where was he now? Snake looked around for him, finally spotting the boy out the window as he darted across the deck. It was quite a spectacle to watch as he hid in all the hiding spots available, even though there was absolutely no one around.

Snake watched as he slammed his back against the main mast and pulled out a yoyo, wielding it in one hand like a weapon while grasping the small cup in the other. In a flash he had jumped from behind the great mast and thrown his yoyo out, as if surprising an enemy. But there was no one there so his yoyo flopped uselessly to the floor. Nonetheless, he strung it back up and continued pretending he was a spy. The former soldier shook his head. Now the kid was just overdoing it.

He flew closer to the boy as he continued to slink about and pretend to ambush enemies. Despite everything, he liked the kid, even though more than once he bopped himself on the head with his own yoyo. And he was not at all surprised when the wind picked up and his world began to spin.

The other Smashers had described this feeling of merging with their guardian's mind. He found it to be not as bad as they had described it. Then again, he was a soldier. He was made of tougher stuff then them.

"This is Agent Ridere to Agent Bob, come in Agent Bob," the boy said suddenly, speaking into an invisible walkie talkie, "Come in, Agent Bob!" There was a moment of silence before Ridere continued speaking to himself, "Copy that, Bob! The target is in sight! Repeat, the target is in sight!"

The target, it turned out, was the door right in front of him. A sign on it marked it as the entrance to the hull of the ship. Or in Snake's words, the storage room.

"I know the risk, Bob," Ridere said gravelly, "But I have to do it. There's someone who needs saving in there and it's the manliest thing I can do!" Another moment of silence. "Right then! I'm going in! If I don't survive… tell my sister… she still owes me five bucks."

"_What, no 'I'll miss you' or 'I love you' or some random Chinese proverb?"_ Snake asked, remembering Mei Ling. It had been so long...

Ridere jumped about a foot in the air. "Holy cow! Agent Bob's talking back to me!" He whirled around and once again threw his yoyo, only to have it ricochet off the mast and smash into his temple. "Ow!"

"_My name is not Bob,"_ Snake said reproachfully, _"What kind of name is that?"_

"It's an awesome and manly name and you know it!" Ridere retorted, winding up his yoyo, "But if your name's not Bob… who are you?"

"_I am the son of the legendary soldier Big Boss!" _Snake replied proudly.

"Who?"

Snake frowned. What did they teach kids in schools these days? _"The Iroquois Pliskin?"_

Ridere shook his head. "Still don't know who you are."

"_The Legendary Soldier?"_

"What?"

"_The Legendary Mercenary?"_

Ridere paused for a moment before answering. "… Ike?"

A groan escaped Snake at this remark. _"No… my name is not Ike…"_

Ridere shrugged. "Too bad. He has a giant manly sword!" He continued walking towards the door. "So… who are you? And speak English this time."

"_Look kid, I'm a guy with a lot of guns. Just remember that."_

"Oh!" Ridere gasped, "I know who you are now!"

"_You do?"_

Ridere nodded. "There's no other person! You're a guy with guns and you're a fighter! It all makes sense now… you're Wolf!"

Snake turned around and bashed his head against a wall of Ridere's mind. This kid had to be messing with him. The boy winced slightly at every hit, the pain of a small headache impacting him every time Snake hit his head.

"Wow Wolf, some temper you have," Ridere remarked with a shake of his head, "It's just like those stories I used to hear from Grandma, way back when she was alive."

"_My name is not Wolf,"_ Snake said, gritting his teeth, _"I am known as Solid Snake, or Snake for short."_

Understanding finally dawned on Ridere's face. "Oh! Why didn't you say so? You're the guy with the box!"

Snake sighed. Was that box all he was remembered for? "Yes… I'm the guy with the box…"

Ridere shrugged. "Cool! Can I have your C4's?"

Snake did a double take. _"No! Absolutely not!"_

"But I won't do anything bad with them!" the young boy argued, "All I'm going to do is maybe blow up the ship, but no one cares about this place anyways, so…"

"_Are you kidding me! You'll be killing at least ten people if you blow this place up! No way! You're staying right here until I can figure out a way to get you off of this damned ship and up Mount Smash."_

"But what about Mah?" Ridere asked, turning serious, "I mean, I promised that I'd help get her outta here and everything…"

"_Mah? Who's Mah?"_

"She's in here," Ridere replied, opening the door to the hull of the ship, "Captain Squall got her a little bit ago and he's forgotten about her ever since. I think he said something earlier about selling her back to Tabuu. Man, you won't believe the guy! He's got this huge manhunt- or is it womanhunt?- out for this one slave that escaped him! Apparently, some girl managed to break out and somehow was able to beat Marth, even when he came after her full on. So when Tabuu found this out, he went completely nuts or something! Now there's a million Subspace Coin bounty on the girl's head and Squall thinks that Mah might be her!"

Snake made note of how fast the boy talked. He also wondered about where he got all his information. Then again, he had seen how stealthy he was. Eavesdropping was probably one of his main hobbies.

The air suddenly changed as soon as the boy stepped into the room. Though he was no Lucario, Snake had hoped to improve his fighting abilities and thus trained with the blue aura Pokemon for many days on end before he was captured and shoved into a jar. Though he was not a master like Lucario, he was able to sense what sort of aura a person had. The one he felt at the moment was warm and inviting, with just the tiniest hint of innocence and purity.

"Mah!" Ridere called out, "Mah! It's meeeeee! You won't _believe_ who's talking to me in my head right now!"

A light, but weak laugh answered him. "Ridere! Hey!"

Ridere tried to leap over the stair railing, but ended up slipping and landing face first on the floor. Despite the hard fall, he got up with barely a scratch on him. Snake shook his head. The boy was also a klutz.

He watched as the small cup of soup was handed through the bars of a tiny iron cage into the skeletal hand of a young teenaged girl. Her aura, he noticed, was weak from malnourishment and starvation, but something in her kept her alive. Her deep brown eyes, he noticed, were bright and alert.

While the girl ate, Ridere chatted on. "So anyways, I was walking around earlier doing… stuff when I hear this voice inside my head." The girl raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing. "So at first, I thought that my pal Agent Bob was finally talking to me for once. But then the guy said that his name wasn't Bob. Apparently, it was Snake. So Snake here." He tapped his temple. "Used to be a… soldier? And he said that he's going to figure out a way to get us out of here and back to the mainland, isn't that awesome?"

Mah didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes were closed and her brow was furrowed in concentration, as if she was listening to something. When she opened her eyes, Snake realized that they were no longer the dark chocolate color he had seen before, but now jet black. And they were wider, more innocent. Above all, they were a pair of eyes he hadn't seen since his very last tournament battle one hundred years ago.

"Snake!" Yoshi crowed happily, struggling about a bit in the cage to get a good look at him. Ridere gave a start at the sound of Yoshi's strange voice coming out of Mah's mouth. Snake, on the other hand, gave no sign of surprise as the other Smashers had explained this to him before.

"_Ridere?"_ Snake asked, _"Mind if I… take over?"_

Without waiting for a reply, Snake pushed Ridere's mind away and allowed his own to dominate. It was a strange feeling to be sure, and there was quite a bit of pain. But it was not unbearable, as the other Smashers had described it and the ex soldier shrugged it off almost as easily as he could shrug off a bullet. Almost.

His first waking thought was that everything that grown. Literally. Ridere was not the tallest boy around and since he was once a tall man, he wasn't all too accustomed at seeing everything so big compared to him. What made it even stranger was the fact that he was standing on his feet, not crouching.

"Snake!" Yoshi exclaimed again, "It's really you! I can't believe you're here! And… you're short! But you're here!"

Snake couldn't help but laugh. "It's good to see you too, Yoshi. Looks like you got yourself in a pretty awkward situation there…"

"It's been horrible, Snake," the little dinosaur said with a small sniff, "There's nothing to do… those pirates are being horrible to Mah… and there's absolutely nothing to eat!"

Snake quickly analyzed the cage, gently brushing his fingers over the hard iron surface to try to find a weak spot in the works. The lock, he realized, could be opened with a key of some sort. He cursed himself for not having a skeleton key with him. It would make things so much easier.

"_I have a nail file in my pocket,"_ Ridere offered, _"I was going to use it today to dig her out."_

Sure enough, Snake found an old fashioned nail file in the pocket of Ridere's shorts. Though he set to work with it immediately, he soon put off the idea. The file was an inadequate saw and it would take weeks to be able to saw through those bars. By that time, Ridere would be discovered down here. He put down the nail file with a small sigh.

"Can I see that?" Mah asked, Yoshi no longer in control of her body. Before Snake could answer, she shot out her arm and wrapped her hand around the little file. She then proceeded to doing her nails, much to Snake's chagrin.

Mah felt his eyes on her and looked up with a shrug. "What? Can't a girl get her nails done?"

Snake opened his mouth once to speak, but closed it and shook his head. As he placed his hand yet again in Ridere's pocket, his fingers met a flat, round disk of some sort. He gasped in surprise at the sudden cold touch, a touch he had not felt for such a long time. He pulled the precious item out and held it aloft, watching as it caught the light upon its smooth black surface. A C4.

Not caring how in the world it got into Ridere's pocket in the first place, he immediately placed it right in front of Mah's cage. "Stay back!"

Hearing the urgency in his voice, Mah obeyed without a single hesitation. After making sure she was safely out of the way, the former soldier found the controller in Ridere's other pocket and pressed the large red button.

"NOW!"

With an explosion that shook the heavens, the C4 detonated, sending bits of metal and other debris flying in all directions. Snake rolled out of the way and flattened himself against the floor, avoiding as much of the now blown up cage as possible. To his great relief, Mah rolled out of the explosion unscathed and she too flattened herself against the floor to avoid all the debris. Once the smoke cleared, both simply laid there, consumed with worry and relief.

"_Awesome!"_ Ridere shouted, _"Epic explosion for the win!"_

What would have been a joyful celebration at Mah's freedom was immediately cut short by voices up above. Running footsteps could be heard up above. Snake knew he only had seconds, perhaps a minute at most, to get the girl out of here. His eyes did a quick scan of the room, searching desperately for a porthole, a secret passage, anything.

A shadow loomed on the side of the wall near the door, their one exit out of the room. It was very dark, very ominous. But it was not the shadow that made a surge of fear go through Snake's mind, but the long, dangerous scimitar that it held. With a firm but gentle hand, he forced Mah to stand behind him, protecting him with his young guardian's body and life.

"Stay behind me," he whispered hoarsely as the shadow came closer and closer.

"_This is going to get pretty ugly,"_ Ridere agreed.

* * *

Ike couldn't sleep. In fact, he hadn't been able to sleep for the past hundred years. He never understood why he couldn't. While the other Smashers slept peacefully in their jars, he was haunted, hounded mercilessly, by the same exact dream. Every night of his life since he lost Mia, the same dream returned to him, growing in definition and detail with every passing night.

The image of Mia's dying face.

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Now was not the time for such mourning.

But he had lost so much…

"Hey Ike, you still awake up there?" Cameron asked.

Ike flinched at the sound of his voice. _"Uh… yeah… I'm awake. But you should be asleep. We've got another long day ahead of us tomorrow, and-"_

"Is that all you think about all the time?" his guardian asked suddenly, "What's going to happen tomorrow and the next day and the next day? Don't you ever… I don't know… look back into the past?"

_"…"_ Ike remained silent.

"There are a lot of things way back when that… that I wish I could go back to," Cam continued, "And other things that I wish I could just… change… like… like all those times I was hired to go kill off the sub- the laguz. A lot of them seemed nice… what about you, Ike?"

Ike bit back tears. _"Yeah… there are an awful lot of things I want to change… like instead of going to try to take on Tabuu when he took out our veteran Smashers... not coming back Tellius like I promised instead of going on that mission… not making absolute sure Tabuu was dead and would stay dead when I had the chance…"_

"But it's not like all of those were your fault," Cam amended," I mean, you didn't have much of a choice when you went off to face Tabuu, right? And… and someone else could've made sure that the guy was dead! And-"

_"Cam, shut up."_

Cameron shut his mouth, looking incredulous. "Excuse me, but-"

_"Cam, no. just stop," Ike sighed, "If you really want to know… I was one of the last Smashers standing when we went to face off with Tabuu for what we thought was the last time…"_

Now it was Cameron's turn to be silent.

_"I was the one that stayed behind to look at the guy's body after the other Smashers left…"_ Ike continued,_ "I was the one who spat on his wounds… I was-"_

"What was that?" Cameron interrupted, sitting upright with a sudden jolt.

_"What was what?"_ Ike asked.

"That noise," his guardian answered, "There it is again! Don't you hear it?"

Ike shook his head. For a few moments, the two simply stood there, listening. When the noise did not return, Cameron slumped back down. _"I was so sure I heard-"_

_"Shh!"_ Ike shushed him abruptly.

Cam pricked his ears, listening intently to the whistling of the wind outside. It was the tiniest noise ever heard by human ears, so quiet in fact that it was almost lost to the wind. But every word that was sung, ever note that was played, was woven into a beautiful, soothing melody. It was powerful and gentle, uplifting and saddening, mysterious explicable. As soon as it reached Cameron's ears, he knew that it was not of this world. But deep inside him, he felt as if he had heard it once before, a long, long time ago.

_Audi famam illius_

_Solus in hostes ruit_

_Et patriam servavit._

Cam dashed to the other side of the cave to where Nask slept, her long red hair sprawled all over her face. "Nask! Nask, get up!"

"Urgh… five more minutes…" the girl groaned groggily. Much to her annoyance, Cameron only shook her harder.

"Come on, Nask!" he shouted, "There's something outside we have to check out!"

"Marth… tell him to shut up…"

_"Nask, I think it's best if we do as he says, and-"_

"Everyone's against me today," Nask grumbled irritably as she stood up and stretched. Already, she noticed, Cameron was buckling his rapier to his belt. Despite her grogginess, she groped around a bit for her own weapon before finally closing her fingers around its ash wood pole.

"Hurry up, Nask!"

"Give me some time…" she yawned, using the cave wall to help her stand up.

Marth sighed. _"Well, who knows… it might be a good sign that Cam's so happy… maybe Ike's talking again…"_

"Nask!"

Marth felt Nask's tired, heavy steps as she sauntered out of the cave, scowling at the sight of the stars and moon still up in the sky. "Well, I'm pretty sure it's close to morning."

And then the song came to his ears. Though he did not know it, it was the same song Cameron and Ike had heard only moments before.

_Audi famam illuis._

_Concurrit quaeque_

_tetigit destruens._

"What's that?" Nask asked, echoing the question he had thought of only moments before. The dark outline of Cameron could be seen against the horizon, staring at something that seemed to be very, very far away. Nask ran over to him, ignoring the pain of her broken arm.

A great rush of heat met both her and Marth as they approached their traveling companion. They saw the boy's eyes open wide in fear and Marth saw a flash of deep blue behind those dark eyes, as if Ike was fearful as well. But that was impossible. Ike feared nothing!

Hesitantly, Nask turned her head to where Cam stared. What met her was a transparent vision of a forest of deep green, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. But the beauty of the forest was soiled by the leaping orange flames that coated the trees. Only adding to the horror of the scene were the people that ran about, screams being torn from their throats. All of them were human in form, except for the brown or black wings that sprouted out of their backs. Had they not looked so fierce, Marth would've mistook them for angels.

He watched as a male with deep brown wings and sharp pointed ears fell, fire engulfing his very being. Another male, whom Marth assumed to be a close friend of his, desperately tugged at his fallen friend, begging him to get up. His efforts only served to spread the flames upon the man's body onto his own wings and it was not long before his wings, too blackened and soot covered to carry him any more, failed and he fell next to him. A sob was torn from Marth's throat as his screams seemed to echo through the burning forest.

"Oh… my… Ashunera…" Cameron gasped, his sword hand falling uselessly at his side. A strong looking man with jet black wings was trying to escape with an unconscious blonde woman with pure white wings in his arms. The woman's eyes were closed, her chest unmoving. She was dead before a great burning branch cast her "savior" to the ground.

"She… she looked so young…" Nask whispered hoarsely, a lump forming in her throat, "Just… like… Mom… little brother…"

_"Nask…?"_ Marth asked nervously as a single tear fell from his guardian's eye, _"Nask… is everything alright…?"_

A boy with jet black wings, who shared the features of the man and the woman who had just fallen, tried his best to run away, but an arrow shot from out of nowhere and impaled itself right in his chest. He fell, crimson blood splattering the ground.

"My brother…" Nask whispered, her tears falling faster, "Gone… so fast…"

_"Nask…?"_

Nask tore her eyes away from the scene, wiping away her tears. "That woman… and that boy… they reminded me so much of my mom… and my… my little brother…"

_"Your mom and your brother?"_

"Mom died a long, long time ago… almost right after little Ridere was born…" Nask told him, "Dad never liked either of us and didn't care so I had to raise Ridere by myself… I used to really want to be a Wyvern Knight and was studying to be a Pegasus Knight… but I had to give it all up…"

_"Give it up…?_" Marth asked, _"For what…?"_

"Mom was gone. Ridere needed someone to take care of him… someone who actually cared whether or not he was alive…"

_"But what about when he grew up and could take care of himself?"_ Marth protested, _"Surely then you could've picked up your studies again!"_

Nask shook her head. "He never got the chance… he never… he never got the chance to grow up…"

_"Nask… what do you mean?"_

By this time, Cameron and Ike had noticed their conversation. Though Ike would rather leave Marth and his guardian in their privacy, he could not help but listen as the conversation continued. He felt weak, vulnerable, as the dark memories of his past returned to haunt him yet again.

Nask took a deep, shuddering breath. "It was years and years ago… Ridere was playing with his yoyos and… I was studying up on how to get an Elysian Whip. The attack happened so fast… an arrow flew through the window… Ridere was on his knees, blood everywhere. I ran to him, but Dad came in and grabbed me…"

_"He saved you? Then surely he must-"_

"He hates the both of us," Nask whispered, "He only saved me because he needed me… in case he wanted to forge an alliance with another nation… I had been betrothed at least three times before that day… he took me and… and left Ridere there to die…"

_"…"_ Marth didn't know what to say.

"Wow…" Cameron said, "I… You…"

Nask gave him a small, sad smile. "It's been tough, but I've managed… I mean, I'd rather be here on the battlefield than sitting around at home… stuffing my face… doing needlepoint…"

Without his noticing, Ike took over Cameron's body. Though he was surprised at how much less painful it was than it used to be, another pain was slowly spreading through him. The pain of his past, bottled up for the past century and more.

"Nask…" he began. To his surprise, Nask blinked once and he was staring into a pair of ocean blue eyes instead. "Marth…?"

"Ike," the Altean Prince answered, "You're finally speaking again."

Ike opened his mouth once and closed it. There was nothing to be said.

"Ike, what's wrong with you?" Marth asked, "Lately, you've been so… aloof! True, you were always sort of like that, but suddenly, you just stopped talking completely one day!"

"I…" Ike began, "Marth…"

"And don't blame yourself for this mess," Marth snapped, sensing the other swordsman's intentions, "It's no your fault that Tabuu isn't dead yet."

"But… it was my fault…" Ike said weakly, "I was the one who stayed behind and spat on his body… I should've made sure he was-"

Marth waved his excuses aside. "I was the one who delivered the final blow. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine… I was the guy who hit him last…"

"But you were too weak to really stay behind and check…"

"But I still hit him last…" Marth said firmly, "And as the man who dealt the final blow, I take all the blame for not making sure Tabuu was dead and would stay dead for the rest of eternity."

"You don't understand…"

"Look Ike," Marth snapped, "Nothing that's happened since the last Subspace War was your fault. You weren't the one who dealt the final blow. You weren't the one who stuck us in jars. You… you weren't the one who burnt down that poor forest!" He gestured towards the still ongoing vision, the still leaping flames.

"…"

Marth placed his hand on Ike's shoulder and gave it a rigorous shake. "Ike… we both lost a great many things because of Tabuu… I lost all, if not of my former army mates… my pride… my dignity… the woman I loved… my sister… but we have to move on… we can't keep blaming ourselves for something we didn't do. We have to move on…. To become stronger…"

Ike tightened his grip on Cameron's rapier. "Mia…"

"She died to save you…. To make sure you live to see another day…" Marth countered, "If you loved her… if you really truly loved her… don't let her die in vain, Ike… let's both live to see the end of this war… and then… and then I'll help you rebuild Tellius."

Ike's eyes widened in surprise. "But… Altea…"

"Is gone. I cannot rule over a kingdom any longer if I am no longer a prince… if I live to see the end of this… I'll stay at the Smash Mansion… there is no aging there and it's been my home… it's been my home for so long…"

Ike glanced over at the burning of the forest, watching as a tall, muscular man with powerful brown wings tried desperately to rally up the panicking Hawk and Raven tribes. He recognized Tibarn, the Hawk King, bravest of all warriors. He was simply laden with arrows, his life's blood slowly pouring out of him and feeding the dying trees. And even as he fell to his knees, he still held on, shouting orders, begging his subjects to flee with their lives.

"A true warrior and king to the very end," a new voice said.

Both swordsmen turned at the sound of the voice, only to be met with a tall, cloaked figure. He had a strange bulge in his back, sort of like a hunchback in a way. His face was hidden by the cloak's deep cowl.

Normally, Ike and Marth would be wary of strangers, but there was something in the stranger's voice that captivated them. It was soothing, and full of kindness and comfort. In fact, it invoked a memory from deep within the former mercenary's mind. He frowned, trying to figure out where he had heard this voice before.

"Who are you?" Marth asked as the stranger approached.

The cowl of the cloak made a movement, as if the strange man- he was sure the voice was that of a man's- was shaking his head. "Names do not matter at this moment… what does matter, on the other hand, is that both of you are in need of a way home."

Not a single question was asked on how this strange man knew their intentions. Instead, Ike merely nodded his agreement and stepped forward. "As appreciative as my… friend and I are of your offer, I am afraid that you have done nothing to gain our trust."

Marth thought he saw a ghost of a smile within the dark shadow of the cowl. "Of course… my apologies." He turned to Marth. "Please, my dear, take this token of my word. I promise that as I transport you and your companion home, neither of you shall be harmed…"

Marth opened his mouth to protest that he wasn't a girl, when he realized that the stranger saw him in Nask's body, not his own. He instead held out his hand as a small, multicolored wedge was pressed to his palm. It was a truly beautiful thing, with a great many colors gently pulsating upon its surface. It radiated a kind of power that was beyond anything he had felt in a very, very long time. He frowned, trying to remember what this strange wedge meant to him as it throbbed gently beneath his clasped fingertips, as if breathing with life.

Ike frowned in confusion at the wedge, weighing his options. "I… I guess we can trust you…"

"We can trust him," Marth said immediately, his eyes filled with determination, "I can feel it in this wedge…"

"Are you sure Marth?" Ike asked nervously, "I mean…"

"We can trust him," Marth answered. Then with a small smile, he gave a nod to the cloaked stranger. "Take us home…"

The stranger placed both his hands upon Marth's forehead before doing the same to Ike. "You both have my blessings. May the Galdr of Transport guide you on your journey and… may your quest reap the fruits of success…"

Then, he began to sing in the same strange voice the two swordsmen had heard as they laid in their cave, clueless to the outside world. As his song wove its first notes, Marth felt a strange uplifting feeling in him, swelling up like a bubble. He sighed happily as the song wrapped around him like a warm blanket and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again seconds later, he was already floating away from the world. In his mind, Nask stared in disbelief at the sprawling landscape below her. A gentle golden light cast its rays upon both him and Ike as they floated higher and higher into the heavens. Marth watched as the stranger slowly shrank until he was nothing more than a tiny dot upon the surface of the barren landscape.

For a moment, the wedge in Marth's hand gave a sudden, violent judder. Blinking in surprise, the former Prince of Altea opened his hand and examined it, taking care not to drop the precious item., but the wedge did nothing more than pulsate its usual colors. And though he saw no more of the stranger, his voice still carried, clear as mountain air:

_Audi famam illuis._

_Audi famam illiuis._

_Spes omnibus, mihi quoque._

_ Terror omnibus, mihi quoque…_

_

* * *

_

Three things happened at once.

The first thing that happened was that he found himself smack in the middle of the vast forest that hid the Smash Mansion from view back in the old days. It was a convenient way to keep out the paparazzi and the fangirls.

Particularly the fangirls.

The next thing was that he saw Primids everywhere. As far as the eye could see he saw the evil minions of the Subspace Lord slowly working their poisons upon the small group of humans they had ambushed. Well, one of them was more of a Pokemon, but that was beside the point. He saw a girl with jet black wings, desperately reaching for what looked like a necklace that hung around her neck on a thin chain, only to be stopped time and time again by the oncoming Primid onslaught.

Meanwhile, the girl who looked a lot like Pikachu was holding her own pretty well, but by the looks of things, the Primids had acquired a new skill of sorts. If one looked directly into their eyes, they would be frozen in fear. At that very moment, the Pikachu girl was being submitted to such a gaze. The Primids were fast approaching, charging their guns and their powerful punches, ready to get rid of her once and for all.

He noticed a boy up in a nearby tree. His arm was set in a rather clumsy cast and he didn't look like he cared at all what was happening to his comrades. Well, at least he tried to not look like he cared. Every once in a while, he would sneak a glance, biting his bottom lip in nervous anticipation. He seemed to be having an internal battle with someone.

A Smasher, perhaps?

Roy's reputation as a master tactician had been well earned, as his ability to turn a seemingly impossible situation in his favor was a well feared tactic that impressed even Ike's tactician, Soren. But this situation…. Even Roy couldn't unravel its many complex mysteries and uncertainties.

He floated there, torn between the two young women who fought for their lives. He knew he had to help one soon or they'll both perish. On one hand, the Pikachu girl, he assumed, was Pikachu's guardian. The little mouse Pokemon had always been a wonderful companion to him and it would tear him on the inside if the poor Pokemon was lost forever. But on the other hand, the girl with black wings could be his guardian. If she perished, so would he. Roy sat there for seemed like hours before finally coming to a decision.

He looked at Pikachu's guardian, the infamous Pikana and bit his lip, tears pricking his eyes. _"This is war…"_ he told himself uncertainly,_ "Everyone… everyone needs to make sacrifices in a war… he won't die in vain… I… he…"_ Roy didn't understand. How was it that he could easily send his soldiers into battle, but feel so guilty over a Pokemon?

For a moment, he hesitated, still floating in the middle of the two girls who faced death with naught but fear in their hearts. And still he hesitated as he inched closer to the winged girl, wishing to tear out his insides for being so selfish. But it was too late now. He could feel a powerful force slowly drawing him towards the girl, though he fought to fly back towards Pikana.

If he could cry, he knew that there would be no stopping his tears. _"Pikachu..."_

That was when the third thing happened. Roy didn't know how and why it happened, but it happened. There was a flash of brilliant white light. The piercing and all too familiar screams to two males could be heard. Two separate crashes and one "Oomph!" as one person landed on another. A large cloud of Shadow Bugs flew up into the air as the two figures- Roy's miracles- landed on top of the Primids on the verge of killing Pikana.

The battle was a storm of confusion and fear. The Primids attacked everyone in the vicinity relentlessly. It wasn't long before the two saviors were blocked from Roy's view, preventing him from seeing just who they were. Madness surrounded him. But he knew it was time for him to meet his guardian.

He was pulled in with a gut wrenching wind, like the air being sucked into a vacuum. Roy was taken through what seemed like hours upon hours of darkness. Once or twice he passed a shard of some sort, a memory that was broken and shattered beyond repair. He heard laughter, faint and distant, as if it were far, far away. For a few brief moments, he felt the warmth of a kind smile upon him and he wondered just what all of this meant.

Suddenly, he heard a male screaming. A female gasped. But he saw nothing, only the inky blackness before him. He felt a wave of what seemed like hesitation- the memory of a hesitation- before feeling the light touch of wind as the hesitator ran away. But all of this was distant, showing Roy that this was a painful memory.

What was up with this girl?

He was shoved and spit out into a wide open plain. Laughter filled the air around him and the sky above was beautiful. It reminded him all too well of the plains back in Phrae. He paused to breathe in the crisp country air, sighing all the while.

But it didn't last. As suddenly as he had landed in the plains, a fire appeared, casting every plant in flames. Roy leaped a foot in the air in surprise, but none of his efforts to put out the fire did a thing. Though his moves were flame based, though he was half dragon, he could not control fire as well as pretty much everyone thought he could.

Then came the roar. It started as a low, menacing growl. Louder and louder it grew before it became a full on roar. Taking care not to step into the flames, Roy turned around in fear, drawing his sword. What met him was a white portal, a window to the outside world. He saw the Pikachu girl, hugging what looked like a bazooka as tears of joy ran down her cheeks. He saw a boy grasping a jeweled rapier in one hand as he hacked away at the Primids with relative grace. He saw a girl holding a Naginata standing over the Pikachu girl, protecting her as the girl lovingly loaded the bazooka. But what caught his eye the most…

… was the huge column of flame shooting right out of his guardian's mouth.

_"What the f-"_

_Bwoosh!_

Her body was large and heavy, covered in gleaming black scales. Her wings had grown to more than three times their normal size, diamond hard claws covered her feet. Another piercing roar was ripped from her throat as a Primid with a Beam Sword latched onto her, but a single toss with her tail was all it took to send the would be attacker crashing into a tree.

Roy watched with a mix of horror and fascination. He was so busy watching that he didn't notice it when footsteps sounded behind him. It wasn't until the girl who appeared suddenly behind him in the middle of the field of flames grabbed him by the cape and forced him to whirl around that he saw her.

There she was in her true form, her wings folded neatly against her back. Her expression was fierce and defensive. She kept a tight grip on first his cape, then switching over to a double handed grip on his doublet so fast he didn't know what happened in between. Her eyes were dark and hard.

_"Who are you?"_ she asked.

Roy showed no fear on his face. _"I am Roy of Phrae, son of Eliwood and former Smasher of the Melee tournament. I have returned to the fourth tournament after being reinvited-"_

The girl threw him on the burning ground where his cape just barely licked a tongue of flame. Luckily, he didn't catch on fire.

_"And you are…?"_ Roy asked politely, standing up and dusting himself off.

The girl gently unfurled her wings, her expression searching him. _"I'm Traca… that's all you need to know…"_

Out of habit Roy bowed. _"I am pleased to meet y-"_

"Ike! Behind you!"

"Take care of that, will you? I'm busy here!"

"No! It's this dragon! She's flaming at you!"

"What the- AAAHHHH!"

Roy gasped. _"Ike!"_ He sprinted over to the portal.

The boy holding the rapier rolled out of the way just in time to avoid yet another column of flame. But, Roy noticed, his hair was singed just a bit. Meanwhile, the Pikachu girl ran up to the dragon and held up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

"It's alright, Traca…" she cooed, "There's no need for… all of this… we can handle the Primids just fine on our own…"

"No they can't," Traca rolled her eyes, "If a certain hunter wasn't so…so… argh! Either way, they need me…"

Roy watched as she aimed her tail at a group of Primids that surrounded the girl with the Naginata. Though the Primids were quickly taken care of, the girl was knocked out as well.

_"Can't you… you know, try not to aim for those guys?"_ Roy asked weakly as the boy sitting in the tree was knocked down to the ground by an unexpected blow from Traca's tail.

The girl shook her head, sweat pouring down her brow. _"I- I'm trying… I just don't have as much control in this form…"_ She directed another pillar of fire at a few foes, narrowly missing Ike, who dived out of the way just in time.

_"Traca, maybe if I can take control…"_

The girl shook her head at his request. _"I've got this all under control…" _At that moment, she nearly singed the boy who fell out of the tree as he dusted himself off.

Roy gave her a look. _"Right… you have it plenty under control…"_

Reluctantly, Traca handed over the oddly colored necklace that hung from her neck. _"Here… just don't do anything funny, alright?"_

With stone in hand, Roy felt a sudden connection to the large dragon body. Though he remained the same size he always was, he felt larger, more powerful in every way. He flexed his fingers, his great claw twitched at the movement. He watched as Ike slammed his way through the Primids that surrounded him, headed for the large ghostlike creatures that floated not far away.

Roy gritted his teeth and directed a tail whip at the Primids as they approached him. Though the tail whip did its job, he also knocked the Pikachu girl off to one side. When he opened his mouth to apologize, he only managed to singe her instead as a column of fire billowed form his mouth.

_"Roy!"_ Traca yelled, _"You're going to kill everyone!"_

Roy turned to glare at her. _"Look, this would be a lot easier for me if I-"_

"OW!"

"ASHUNERA THAT HURT!"

"That dragon's out of control!"

His face lined with horror, Roy turned back to the portal just in time to see the Pikachu girl pinned under his tail. But as he lifted his tail to free her, his claw smashed into the side of the girl with red hair. He couldn't control himself, his own body shook with the effort of just trying to regain control.

When concentrated on the claws, his tail lashed out at friends and foes alike. His flame breath incinerated everything in its path. Sweat poured down his face as he lunged drunkenly to regain control.

"_You're doing it all wrong!"_ Traca snapped, reaching out to grab back her necklace.

Roy stepped away, but wasn't able to stop himself from squishing a Primid or two with his massive foot. _"I'm certainly doing better than you are. Just saying!"_

"_Why you little…"_

_Tut- tut- tut- tut- tut- tut!_

He felt a sudden vibration on the side of his right arm, as if it was being shot at by a gun of some sort. The boy he knocked out of the tree was standing right in front of him, his gun loaded and aimed. His eyes flashed brilliant sky blue as he rolled out of the reach of Roy's thrashing tail with superhuman agility. The bullets bounced off of his dragon scales without leaving a single mark, but whether it was by natural instinct or through his own fear, Roy couldn't stop himself from lashing out and slamming the boy yet again against a tree.

"Samus!" Ike yelled, whirling around as the huntress sailed past him.

Roy gasped. _"Samus!"_ A huge tongue of flame sailed out of his mouth as he spoke.

"_Give it to me!"_ his guardian ordered, trying to snatch it back from him. She managed to grab the chain, but the former Prince of Phrae held on tight to the stone itself. Traca yanked in towards her, causing the dragon to lash out with its claws. Roy tugged it back, creating a storm of powerful tail lashings.

"_You're killing everyone!"_ Traca yelled, yanking it again. The dragon flamed away.

"_You didn't do any better!"_ Roy shot back, trying to pry her fingers off. The dragon's wings unfurled with a great _thwip!_ and knocked Pikachu off his feet.

"_Did not!"_

"_Did too!"_

"_Not!"_

"_Too!"_

"_Not!"_

"_Too!"_

"_N-"_

_Crack!_

"No!"

"DEAR GODS FROM ABOVE!"

"Marth!"

"Marth!"

"Marth!"

For the briefest moment, all time seemed to stop. Roy whirled and glanced over his shoulder, just in time to see a tree, its base consumed by fire, crack under its own weight. Marth, too busy trying to avoid his thrashing tail, did not see the falling tree. Ike's shout came too late. Samus dropped her gun, her face pale as a ghost. Pikachu froze in his tracks, horror etched on the little Pokemon's face.

As for Roy, he did not know what to say. Though he still fought with his guardian over the powerful stone, his heart was a million miles away. He wasn't sure how it happened, but deep inside, he knew that it was all because of him. Because of his ignorance and his big headedness, he almost cost his friend his life.

He tried everything he could to concentrate on the conflict between him and his guardian, but could not.

The image of Marth's blackened face as he was pinned under the burning tree was still fresh in his mind.

* * *

_Smashville began as nothing more than a great plain, covered in di-_

"Whatever," Wrath drawled, tossing the book into the nearby fireplace.

_There are many potent diseases in Smashville that have been discovered since the great Dr. Mario lived here long ago, but perhaps the most danger of all of these was-_

"This boring book." It followed the history book into the leaping orange flames.

"_Wrath!" _Meta Knight said reproachfully, _"A true warrior bears his challenges, no matter how-"_

Wrath rolled his eyes. "Listen, Pops. This ain't a battlefield. This is a boring study session with just as boring books to read. As soon as I actually get some action around here, then _maybe_ I'll listen to you."

"_Wrath, be reasonable here…"_

"I am being reasonable," his guardian shot back, "Stop trying to baby me!"

"_Wrath-"_

A sharp rap on Wrath's door interrupted him. Frowning in confusion, the boy moved to the door and opened it revealing none other than Captain Falcon. The former racer's yellowed eyes were locked directly onto the shorter boy as he stepped back to allow him in. But instead of stepping into Wrath's darkened room, Falcon only gestured for Wrath to follow him.

Wrath shook his head. "If it's about me burning down the west wing, tell Dad I didn't know that stuff was flammable!"

In response, Captain Falcon shook his head and made the same gesture. Meta Knight sensed the reluctance in Wrath and decided to intervene.

"_Wrath, I think it's best you do as he asks,"_ he told him, _"After all, I hear your father's wrath is dangerous."_

Grumbling to himself, Wrath nodded to Falcon and followed the former racer down the hall. He found himself in the throne room, once the Smash Mansion ballroom. Tabuu sat upon a gilded throne of obsidian lined with gold, his fingers interlaced with each other. He glanced up once as Wrath entered, but soon turned his attention back to the kneeling man before him. Meta Knight realized with a jolt that the man was none other than Marth, Prince of Altea.

"So…" Tabuu began, his voice just barely bordering anger, "You have failed yet again to find the girl?"

It was a truly strange thing to see fear behind those soulless yellow eyes. Meta Knight stared in amazement. _"Perhaps just a small part of his soul resides in his body, after all…"_

"Shut up," Wrath muttered.

Tabuu turned his head to look at him. "What was that, Wrath?"

The boy was quick to rectify his mistake. "N-Nothing!" But the blue man had already trained his attention back on the unfortunate prince.

"It has been days, Marth… days! Do you not understand why it is so important to find her!" he roared.

Marth flinched at the tone of his voice, but said nothing. Tabuu pounded his fist on the armrest of his throne.

"She is a danger to my rule, Marth!" he snarled angrily, "Don't you know what will happen if she continues to run free! Don't you!"

Marth fearfully shook his head, not meeting his master's eyes. Wrath raised an eyebrow and looked at Tabuu, willing him to continue. The blue man caught Wrath's eye and immediately calmed down. Now was not the time for such violence.

"That girl escaped with the diary of that stupid old hand," he whispered hoarsely, "if she is able to read what's in it, my kingdom will surely crumble to bits!"

This sparkled Meta Knight's interest. Didn't Pit once mention something about his guardian carrying a leather bound book?

"But surely she's illiterate," Wrath said lightly, "After all, slaves aren't taught to read and write…"

"My concern isn't whether or not the stupid girl herself can read the diary, but what's in it!" Tabuu snapped, "She might actually be able to find a person who's perfectly literate in this world or some other!"

Wrath did his best to hide his intense interest in this matter. "And what's in this diary…?"

Tabuu sighed and crossed his fingers. "A long, long time ago, almost right after I- Marth, move another muscle and I'll feed you to the hounds." Marth stopped moving. "Anyways, almost right after I took the throne from that idiot hand, I found a diary while looking through his things."

Meta Knight's anger boiled at that. How dared his hated enemy touch the Master Hand's personal belongings! If he had his body right now, he would run his sword through Tabuu for every offense he ever committed.

"In the diary, a prophecy was described," Tabuu continued, "The exact wording had long been faded away, but the basis was there. A hundred years after the Fall of Smashville, thirty five humans, mostly human teenagers, will arise. They will all be from different backgrounds, all of them having different morals and values. But they will all be similar in many ways. All of them will house the spirit of a Smasher, pre-selected by fate, and together they will rise and take down the darkness that has fallen over Smashville."

Wrath couldn't help but snort, though he shook with fear inside. "What the heck? What's with all this stupid prophecy mumbo jumbo?"

"This is serious, Wrath!" Tabuu snapped, "The old hand might've been weak as heck, but he wasn't stupid. He knew about the new power I had obtained… he knew about the dangers having such power would bring to him. So he got together with Ashunera, Din, Farore, Naryu, Palutena… all of those deities and created that prophecy. He hopes to overthrow me using humans to do his dirty work… but there's no way I'll let him…"

Meta Knight was just itching to kill the guy. But a warrior's creed stopped him. Now was not the time. A long time ago, he had tried to attack Tabuu head on. He had become nothing more than a mere cloud of gas as a result. He had sworn never to make that same mistake again.

"These guardians inherit the powers of the Smashers, nothing more. We can root them out while they are still vulnerable and crush them." He turned to Marth. "Prince of Altea, I give you one last chance. Go out there and find those guardians! You know who they are! You yourself fought one as her mind was merged for the first time with her destined Smasher! Three of my Elite Bounty Hunters fought against another when he was stupid enough to let an escaped slave go! A girl who was stuffed into my asylum for years on end suddenly shifted form and escaped! A young woman who was to be hung escaped with the help of the first escaped slave! I demand you find them and crush them before any more guardians can be united with their Smashers!"

"But surely one guardian dead won't matter much," Wrath protested, "Thirty four is just as good as a number as thirty five!"

"You don't understand, Wrath! Only with thirty five guardians will they have the power to defeat me! It says so in the prophecy described by Master Hand! Only with thirty five guardians will those hands come back to help them! If we can eliminate just one, then all of them will fall and I shall rule for all eternity!"

At that moment, a Primid ran in. Though Meta Knight was once unable to understand its gurglings, Wrath's mind translated the broken speech easily for him. He felt a small hope rising within him as it spoke.

"Sir, the guardians are growing in power. Reports of shouts that sound like Ike, Marth, and others have been heard in the forest. We are unable to pinpoint the exact location of these shouts, but they are definitely there, sir. We've also reportedly lost tens of thousands of troops since you've started searching for the escaped girl."

Tabuu suddenly snapped up and glared at Marth, still kneeling on the ground. "Marth, go round up the other Smashers and tell them to start training. They will need to become as powerful as possible to defend our fortress. By now, there are probably at least ten guardians running around! This must be stopped immediately!"

With a quick nod, Marth dashed out of the room. Meta Knight sensed that he was glad to be out of the Lord of Subspace's sight. He watched as Tabuu clenched his fists and his teeth, his anger evident in his glow.

"When I get my hand on a _single_ guardian, I'll be sure to _personally_ wring their neck and _punish_ them for their very existence!" he vowed, "And then, I'll allow _you_ to have your fun, young Wrath…"

Meta Knight felt fear engulf his guardian at Tabuu's words. With a small gulp and a nod of understanding, Wrath back out of the room, careful not to show any signs that Meta Knight now lived within him. His every step was calm and composed as he left. But once the doors closed on him, he took off in a sprint, his sword bouncing against his thigh with every step.

"_What are you doing?"_ Meta Knight asked as Wrath kicked down the door to his room and grabbed a nearby knapsack.

"Leaving," his guardian answered simply. He began tossing clothes from his closet into the bag.

"_Leaving? This is your father we're talking about!"_

"I know," the boy answered calmly, peeling up a loose floor board. Underneath, copious bags of chips and other junk foods were revealed. "That's why I'm leaving." He began tossing the food into his bag.

"_Your father shall be furious… you'll dishonor your family!"_

"And I don't give a crap," Wrath snapped, "As long as I'm here, I'm in danger at every moment. At least out there I might run into the other…" he hesitated to say the word.

"_Guardians?"_

Wrath nodded, pausing as he zipped up his bag. "That's right… I'm sick and tired of this place… nothing but blood… gore… death… the very first thing I remember as I was growing up was… blood… just non stop blood… all over the place… it's a normal thing to me, but… it feels just so… so wrong…"

"…"

Wrath bit his lip. "I… I just can't stand it anymore… the longer I'm here… the more danger I'll be in… and… and if my dad wants to keep his throne so bad, I… I guess I'm sort of doing him a favor… you never know. I might die out there… the world seems so big compared to this mansion…"

"_Have you ever been outside the gates?"_

Wrath shook his head. "Never… that's why I need to go… it's more than an extra precaution to protect myself… it's more than a way to help the rest of the guardians… I want travel… I want to see the world… I want to be free…"

"_Wrath…"_

"What?" the raven haired boy asked "Is it so wrong to dream of the outside?"

In spite of himself, the Star Warrior almost smiled. _"No… it's just that… your dream reminds me so much of a young puffball… a young puffball who… who was like a son to me…"_

Wrath took a deep breath and slung his knapsack over his right shoulder, careful to keep it away from his sword. With a quick flick of his wrist, he opened his window as wide as it would go. Without a second glance at his room, he leaped out feet first, relishing the feeling of the wind on his skin.

"Look out World! Here comes Wrath!"

* * *

The continent of Tellius was a barren landscape, absent of all the life and beauty it once held. It was blackened everywhere, where the cruel hands of Fire had kissed its surface.

In the most blackened part of the land, a single man stood, his long black cloak billowing in the wind. A single particularly powerful breeze caught him, causing his hood to fall off. A face carved by angels was revealed, with very prominent cheekbones and eyes of sea green. He stood up straight and tall before gently unclasping his cloak, letting it slide off his shoulders and onto the floor. Once the cloak was off, he stretched his pristine white wings that grew out of his back. Long flowing blonde hair completed the look of an angel for him and as he looked to the stars, his face was set in a gorgeous silvery glow.

"By the will of the Goddess of Dawn, fourteen guardians have been revealed," he intoned, "And there are still yet many more to come. Know that I, Rafiel, Prince of the Heron Tribe and last Light of Tellius, hereby call upon not one, not two, but three more. Tonight, three more Smashers shall be released and when the sun rises tomorrow, three more guardians shall be revealed. So says the will of Ashunera and so says my own will. May the Galdr of Freedom guide the Smashers safely to their guardians…"

And thus said, Rafiel lifted his head and out of his throat, came the most beautiful sound. If anyone was ever lucky enough to hear a Heron sing at least once in their lifetime, that person would know that it was possibly the loveliest, yet saddest sound ever heard.

_EGO primoris voco Vulpes volpes…_

An orange streak sailed across the skies as he said this. It bounced about, as if happy to be free. But Rafiel took no notice as he continued to sing.

_EGO secundus voco Flax…_

A solid blue line lit the stars as he sang, seeming to bounce about with joy. Lifting his head still higher, Rafiel sang his final line.

_Denique , EGO voco Lucario!_

A third streak flew about as the song came to a close. This one was a deep purple, and unlike the other two, remained calm and flew in a straight line.

Rafiel stopped singing and sighed in relief. "Go, guardians! Fulfill your destinies! Become the last Light of Hope! May the goddess guide you…"

And once last time, he lifted his head and sung an ode to the young heroes just waiting to rise.

_Exsisto existo tener tutela , presto vestri destinies._

_Guardians Exsisto existo! _

_Primoris venit Vorago , Angelus of Lux lucis , primoris Smasher ut exsisto freed._

_Next venit Samus , vereor Ubertas Venator , promptus ut fight._

_Third venit Pikachu Pokemon numerus unus , desumo tentatio flying._

_Fourth venit Yoshi loveable dino , promptus ut rock._

_Fifth venit Ike , validus latrunculus , culmen of strength._

_Sixth venit Link , fortis proeliator , animus quam many._

_Seventh venit Zelda , sapiens satraps , ars quod princess._

_Eighth venit Bellicus lost procer , promptus sumo tergum suus kingdom_

_.Ninth venit Lupus howler's ira , iratus avenger._

_Tenth venit Ness PSI vox , promptus cretum up._

_Eleventh venit Kirby forever ieiunium , promptus ut eat._

_Twelfth venit Meta Miles militis , Miles militis in rutilus loricatus , proeliator code._

_Thirteenth eram Snake , stabilis miles militis , vinco of boxes._

_Fourteenth venit Roy , Rex rgis of Phrae , incendia of three magis vadum suo suum ranks._

_Three tutela vadum exsisto existo! _

_Tutela Exsisto existo!_

**Again, sorry for the super, super late update. This is why Writer's Block can go die… T_T**

**Anyways, I hope all of you guys had an awesome 4****th**** of July in America… for those of you not in America… happy whatever holiday you've celebrated! **

**Thanks to SkywardBlayderJulz for being an awesome beta reader and Wrath Draconian for awesome artwork!**

**If you've lost track on what's going on with each guardian, visit my website and look at their reports. **

**Bye!**

**PS. LEGEND OF ZELDA SKYWARD SWORD!**

**^ That was a random fangirl announcement from: PitFTW**


	14. Mars, Eric, and Aly

Mars, Aly, and Eric: Triple Threat

**Fear the awesomeness that is Star Fox! *crushes everyone with Landmasters***

**Notice how up there, the title is extra cheesy… I have no idea where that came from.**

**Tip for movie lovers: DON'T, I repeat, DON'T watch The Exorcist late at night on a day of a thunderstorm. It's the scariest movie ever! 'Nuff said. Also, don't watch Legion. It's really, really bad, despite its pretty good plot.**

**Oh yeah, a series that has a very special place down in Hell will make a little cameo in here. Yes, it will burn. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. So you can have… *kicks the penguin onstage* THE BIG GAY DANCE!**

Zelda stared at the red streak on her hand, horrified and fascinated all at once. She glanced all over Cimar's body, identifying many more streaks of horrible crimson red upon his clothes. She felt an unsettling weight in her stomach, something she knew was guilt. Though it was in truth, a triumph that she had solely punished those who had helped to overthrow her father, she still felt sick, very sick, on the inside.

Cimar had recently transformed back into himself again, about an hour ago to be exact. Neither of them was sure how or why it happened, but it did. Really, all that mattered right now was getting the blood off of them as soon as possible.

"_There has to be some sort of logic behind all of this," _Cimar insisted, _"I mean, I know Usurpers are pretty corrupted, but that's just ridiculous."_

"Mm…" Zelda agreed distractedly, taking care to stay as inconspicuous as possible as she moved swiftly through the shadows that lined Hyrule Castle. The princess wanted nothing more than to avoid more bloodshed. She had already taken a great many lives when she allowed her anger to control her while she was Sheik.

But there was something deep within her that, despite her total disgust over the blood on her hands, danced about inside of her. The people she… put to sleep had ridiculed and slandered her late father, though it had been years since he had died. She had overheard them as they laughed over the "Old Fool's" death over goblets of red wine, wine that had come from her _father's_ private store. She had listened to them as she and her guardian dashed in the direction of the Royal Library. Their intent had been to quietly slip inside and find answers.

Zelda's anger and grief, however, proved to be a different story altogether.

She had lashed out like a tigress, first at the Duke of Ordon for calling her father a "daughter- obsessed old coot". Then, the Baroness of Eldin fell victim to her hands. She was flaunting the ring that once belonged to Zelda's mother, the dead Queen. It had been one of the Queen's favorite gems and it was buried along with her when she was put to rest. From what Zelda could gather, it was stolen right off of the skeleton of the long departed monarch and sold for an exorbitant price to the Baroness, who had called it "a foolish waste of rupees, but a wonderful treasure to keep!" The third victim had insulted Link, calling him "a charlatan and a schemer who is unfit for his title of Hero!" Strangely, that one was the most "fun" to kill.

"_Got any ideas where we're going?"_ Cimar asked as Zelda turned a corner…

… and found herself in the exact spot she had just left five minutes before.

The princess groaned and leaned against a wall, her frustration growing. She hated it when this happened. Even though she had spent most of her life within the castle walls, she still didn't exactly know her way around. Then again, why did castles have to be built so dang big?

"I've gone around in circles… again…" Zelda groaned, slapping her forehead in exasperation, "What am I to do?"

"_Well… don't you have a map or something of this place?"_

The princess slumped against a wall. "Nope. Link's always been the one that has a map… I never… I haven't really… I don't know how to draw maps very well… and Link has always known what to do, and-"

"_You miss him, don't you?"_ Cimar suddenly interrupted, _"You're completely lost without him. Am I right?"_

Zelda hesitated, unsure of what to say. "W-Well…" swallowed and regained her composure. "I… I suppose I do miss him… just a bit… a hundred years of being trapped in a jar… that can do a lot of things to you…"

"_A hundred years of captivity? You two sure spent an awful lot of time together. I bet you got to know each other pretty well and everything."_

"Erm…"

Cimar frowned as he noticed her hesitation. _"What's wrong?"_

Zelda shifted uncomfortably as she began walking again. "W-Well… he… he didn't really talk much…"

"_So he really lives up to his nickname, doesn't he?"_ Cimar asked, bemused. _"According to the history books, any hero named Link was a man of few words. But I remember reading somewhere that-"_

"He spoke," Zelda interrupted quickly, "It's just that he didn't speak all too much. And when we got captured… he just… he just stopped talking at all…"

"… _Then… it must've been awfully lonely for you…"_

"It was… but it wasn't at the same time," the princess relented, "I always knew he was there, I always felt his presence… I knew that if anything happened to us, the first thing he'd do would to come and find me… make sure I was safe…"

"_Sounds like quite the Hero…"_ her guardian mused, _"Just like in those books…"_

"But he was still Link to me," the princess insisted, "No matter what happens, he always, always, always will be Link. He'll always be the Savior of Hyrule, the Ordonian goat herder, the Sacred Blue Eyed Beast, the-"

"_The man who has stolen your heart…"_

She felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "Cimar! How dare- I… you… Link…"

Her guardian burst out laughing. _"Great Din, what have we here? A Princess in love with her knight? What scandal! What shame! What intrigue!"_

"Oh… be quiet, you!" Zelda commanded, "Now's no the time for such… gossip…"

"_No time for gossip, you say?"_ Cimar asked incredulously, _"I'll have you know that I've already spent half of my life immersed in books… facts upon facts upon facts… at times it was boring and other times… I just couldn't stop reading… most of the information would be useless in our search for your whereabouts, but still we read… we wanted to expand our knowledge, prevent your disappearance and many others from happening ever again… but we read nothing but fact, leaving as much fiction as we possibly could to burn… all the records of gossip we've ever acquired? Gone. Gone in the same way those nemocracy spell books and mythology scrolls went. Just gone… just like that…"_

"So all your life… you've been immersed in nothing but facts?" the princess asked in disbelief, "They didn't even let you sit down with a good picture book or something to read to help pass the time?" She gulped, remembering that that was the exact thing her mother used to do with her before she died.

Her guardian shrugged. _"Oh, there were some books that most of us were glad to see go. Some very, very badly written and just simply illogical books."_

"Oh? And what might those be?"

For a moment, Cimar's thoughts swirled about a bit before bringing fourth a memory. There were four books, all thicker than any novel Zelda had every seen. Every single one of them was coated in black. The first book was rather simple, with only twin blood red cherries on the cover. The second held a single red rose while the third featured a piece of string cut neatly in half. The fourth featured what looked like a game of checkers as the red piece nearest to the front was about to be Kinged. And as Zelda watched, a single match gently kissed each book and it was not long until the four books were lost in flame.

"_We called that the Dusk Saga,"_ Cimar said amusedly, _"That one was actually quite fun to burn. But then again, the theme of it is much like your little situation with the Hero-"_

The princess did a double take. "Cimar, if you're suggesting anything…"

"_I'm not!"_ another laugh was let loose. _"I'm just saying that the theme of those books, though badly written, speak to both you and Link. Forbidden love between a Princess and her Hero. Or in this case…"_ Cimar snorted, _"A human and her sparkly fairy prince."_

"Cimar, you are just so… so…"

"_Devious? Why, I thank you, Your Highness."_ She could sense the smirk at his lips. He was _so_ lucky she couldn't touch him right now.

"Please, just don't say anything to him, alright?" the princess begged, carefully pushing a door open and looking around, "I don't want him finding it out from anyone but me…"

"_My lips are sealed, Princess,"_ Cimar chortled happily, _"But just remember, you're going to have to be the one to tell him or my tongue just __**might**__ slip…"_

"You're very lucky I can't send you to the guillotine, you know that?" Zelda grumbled as she darted down the halls. She knew she had to be silent now, lest she risked the chance of getting caught.

Her footsteps echoed eerily in the long dark hall, indicating that she was the only life currently walking these halls. Every torch she passed flickered maliciously at her, as if taunting her for the crimes she committed. And with every torch she passed, the red stains on her hands were thrown into much more defined degrees of sharpness. She winced as this happened, but held her tongue, though she wanted nothing more than to scream. Maybe that would send Link running to her…

"_Zelda, it's not worth the risk,"_ Cimar said uneasily as he read her thoughts, _"Because who knows where Link and Rinku are? They can be in Hyrule Castle Town for all we know and-"_

"SKRAAAAAA! HYAH! AHHH!"

Zelda's head snapped up at those shouts, her sensitive ears ringing as they echoed throughout the castle. Cimar stumbled slightly as each shout hit him with brutal force. Though the walls of the castle distorted the sound slightly as they bounced off the stone blocks, they both knew whose voice that was…

"Link!"

Without another thought, Zelda broke into a run. She fluttered about like a ghost, surprising every guard and every noble she passed. She had no time to look back and chuckle at their reaction as Link's screams grew louder and louder. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she listened even harder for the source of the noise.

"_The Royal Library!"_ Cimar burst out suddenly, Hylian ears twitching, _"There's no other place!"_

The princess turned the corner. Her heart beat at the speed of light as she ran on, her worry for Link growing with each step. She didn't know how or why, but somehow she now knew exactly where the Royal Library was. Whether it was a blessing from the Goddesses or just a rush of adrenaline, she didn't know. All that mattered at the moment was making sure Link was okay.

"HYAH! HYAH! AHHHHHHH!"

* * *

"HYAH!" Link spun his sword in a wide arc, keeping the guards at bay. In his pocket, the precious shard he found seemed to throb with energy as he spun, feeding him with raw power. He noticed how brightly his sword glowed, wondering if it was the power locked within the sword or the wedge that made it glow like that.

"_Will you stop with the spin attacks!"_ Rinku moaned, _"They're making me feel sick…"_

Link knocked down another guard as he rushed towards him with the flat of his sword. "Rinku, if you puke up there, I'll-"

"_Too late…"_

For a moment, Link dropped his sword to glare up at him. "Rinku!"

Two guards, seeing their chance, rushed forward with their spears. Link cut them down with relative ease, but wasn't able to prepare himself when something whacked him on the back of his neck and sent him sprawling, his blood smearing upon the floor. His vision blurred, but he refused to black out. There was no time for a nap.

He rolled, the only true defense he had, seeing that he only longer held his Hylian shield. A broadsword whistled through the air and came down in the exact spot where he had been only moments before. The sword was held by a gigantic gloved hand covered in black armor. The Chosen Hero knew what it was even before he was forced to look up.

"D-Darknut…"

He had defeated many of these long ago, while he traveled as a sacred wolf with Midna upon his back. They were slow, but powerful and once their armor was off, they were just plain lethal. Though he had defeated them, it usually came at a great price. A fairy or a potion was always wasted in a fight with one of these.

The broadsword flashed through the air, aiming right for his vulnerable neck. He brought up his sword and parried it, stopping the deadly weapon just in time. But the Darknut continued pushing and the more he pushed, the closer the crossed swords approached Link's neck. It was a one- sided battle of strength, but the Hero knew as soon as he faltered his life was forfeit.

"_Link!"_ Rinku shouted, fear evident in his voice, _"Link, you've defeated these guys before, haven't you? What's so different now?"_

The Hero gritted his teeth. "Let's see… it's been over a hundred years, I don't have any fairies or potions, and I don't have a shield…"

"_But you don't need all of that!"_ the boy protested.

"Rinku, I don't know what stories you've been listening to, but I'm not a god…" Link grunted, his arms shaking with the effort of holding back the powerful broadsword, "I'm just a regular farm boy from Ordon… I'm not special…" his arms began to tremble under the great weight he was forced to hold. "I didn't know what the heck a Bulbin was until I saw them for the first time… I was _scared_, Rinku, scared of those stupid Bulbins… I kept telling Midna that I wasn't cut out for this… because I'm not cut out for this life…"

"_Not cut out for this life?"_ his guardian asked in disbelief, taking his attention away from the interlocked swords, _"What the hell am I hearing! __**You're**__ Link! You're the greatest hero Hyrule's ever had, no contest!" _

The only sound that passed from Link's lips was a grunt as the two swords were pushed even closer to his throat.

"_I mean, you've defeated guys bigger than this idiot without any fairies or potions… you have the Triforce of Courage… you can do anything…"_

"…" a single drop of sweat trailed down Link's brow.

"_Link…"_ Rinku kicked at the ground in his mind, _"You're a lot more than just some ranch hand from Ordon. You didn't have to go on that huge adventure with the Fused Shadows and the Twilight Mirror, but you did. You didn't go because you were powerful enough to stop it, but because you were the only one that could…"_

"…" Steel, cold as ice pressed against his flesh. But still, he found the strength to hold on.

"_There's a reason why the goddesses chose you to help save Hyrule… and do you really think it was a coincidence that your Guardian happened to be me? A random guy-"_

"A random prince," Link corrected quietly, his strength slipping under the weight of the two swords.

"_A random guy,"_ Rinku stated firmly, _"A random guy who just happens to live in Hyrule… the land you were destined to save… Link, if you really weren't cut out for all of this… why were you sent here again?"_

His words echoed in the Hylian's ears as his strength began to give way. But with one final push, he forced his powerful opponent back. As the Darknut raised his sword again, Link chose not to dodge this time, but to unleash his greatest hidden skill, the fifth one taught to him long ago by the Hero's Shade. He closed his eyes and concentrated, knowing he only had one shot at this.

"Mortal Draw!"

He had only seconds to dodge the Darknut as it threw its great broadsword at him and unsheathe its thin rapier. He only had another three seconds to dodge the Darknut's now speedy melee attacks.

"_That's the way the Hero of Hyrule does it!"_ Rinku whooped.

It was a truly strange thing how this whole situation had gotten started. All the Hylian truly remembered was hurriedly placing both the strange wedge and the song into a hidden pocket as the guards kicked down the door.

"Prince Rinku, you are under arrest under charges of murder," the first guard had announced.

"Come quietly and we promise, we'll try not to kick you too hard," another had laughed.

Though his guardian had voiced his innocence, Link had soon found himself being dragged away by the arms. He managed to dispatch the two guards dragging him, hoping to convince his captors of his innocence. He had never spilled a drop of noble blood in his life, he had insisted. Of course, the guards of the Usurper King had only laughed at him.

And that was they rushed at him with those stupid lances of theirs.

Rinku had put up a tremendous fight. He lashed out like a tiger at all his foes, watching them crumple beneath his sword. But somehow, Hyrule Castle had more than tripled its security since Link had been away. His guardian fought bravely, but allowed him to step in, despite the heat of the battle flowing furiously in his blood.

"Get him, Darknut!" a voice ordered behind him. The Hero didn't need to look to know it was the Captain of the Guards, the man who hid in cowardice while he fought the others.

The Darknut was all too happy to comply. He lunged forth, striking at Link three times in quick succession. The hero tried to roll out of the way, but he was slashed with the third strike. A warm liquid dripped down from the wound, but it did not matter. The Darknut was coming at him again!

Ignoring the stinging pain in his wound, Link dodged the fearsome sword and delivered a slash of his own while the monster's back was turned. He used the Helm Splitter, the Back Slice, and the Great Spin, only seeing his sword as it passed in and out of the Darknut's flesh. It was a battle of wits and strength, life and death were on the line.

He felt a pain at his side. A wound? How did that get there…? Another pain… another wound… more blood gushed forth… his face stung; his chest throbbed in pain, his vision turned red.

_One last stab… one last thrust…_

_Crack!_

Pain… in the back of his neck. He felt the warm substance running down from the gash that had been created. His sword fell loose in his left handed grip as his knees turned to jell- o. He took no notice of the Darknut's body as he fell, his vision swirling before his eyes.

"_Link… hold… on…"_ Rinku's voice was fading.

He felt his body go numb. How? After all his efforts this was how the goddesses rewarded him? Was death coming to him so fast?

No… he could see a face. Zelda? He dared to hope as he lifted his eyes, his vision swimming. But the face that stared back was not the princess he had sworn to serve.

He saw the head of a spear, its side covered in blood… _his blood_. He saw the all too flashy armor, the cold black eyes, the triumph shining in those eyes.

"Y-You…" he gasped, "Y-You're… not… Z-Ze- Zel… da…"

The face of a coward smirked back at him.

* * *

He couldn't stand another moment of the silence. Except for the steady drip of water from the ceiling of the vents, there was not a sound. And if there was one thing he couldn't accept right now…

… was that the silence was all his fault.

"_You were really hard on Kirby, Ness,"_ Picho scolded, _"And I mean __**really**__ hard… the kid didn't deserve it…"_

Ness gave a shaky gulp. "He… he needed to grow up… he just doesn't get it… I broke it to him as gently as I could…"

Picho glanced over his shoulder to where Kirby, eyes still red from crying, crawled. _"Riiiight… you were really gentle with the guy… that's why he's still crying!"_

Ness bit his lip at the impact of each of Picho's words. "It was for the best… for the best…"

"_Keep telling yourself that,"_ the boy sighed, _"And while you're at it, can we get outta here now? This place smells like a sewer!"_

Meanwhile, Kirby still hadn't exactly recovered from his bond shattering argument with Ness. He trailed behind his former friend like a lost child, clinging desperately to whatever strands of their former friendship that was left. Indeed, whatever had happened to shatter such a strong bond left him feeling cold and empty inside. For the first time, he realized, he wasn't hungry any more.

"_Are you alright, Kirby?"_ Pichn asked for the umpteenth time since that argument. Kirby smiled at his concern, but was unable to hold back a sad little sigh.

"What did I do wrong, Pichn?" he whispered, on the brink of even more tears, "We used to be best friends… and then… and then… he won't even talk to me anymore…"

"_He's just being a mean old grouch right now,"_ the boy dismissed huffily, _"He doesn't get that he's growing up __**way**__ too fast."_

"But do you think I need to grow up too, Pichn? I mean… I haven't really been anywhere else besides just around Dreamland and around Smashville… and nobody ever really… died when I was traveling around Dreamland…"

"…" Pichn shifted uncomfortably as Kirby prattled on.

"And when there was trouble, sometimes I could beat the bad guys, but other times I had a friend with me… and Meta Knight always said that I can become a great Star Warrior if I just kept training, but… but do you think that I … I should grow up, like Ness said?"

"_Do you want to hear the truth, Kirby?"_ his guardian said finally when he had finished.

The puffball nodded eagerly, wiping away the few tears that strayed from his eyes. He heard Pichn take a deep breath and waited for him to continue.

"_Kirby… I think you really do need to grow up… just a little… Ness was sort of right. This is war… a lot of things are going to change and we have to be ready for those changes."_

Despite all he felt, the puffball gave a determined nod. "Then I'll grow up! I'll try to be just like Meta Knight! And… and I won't cry! I'll stop crying!"

Pichn grinned. _"Atta boy, Kirbs!"_

"Finally," Ness mumbled.

As the two boys crawled on, Kirby couldn't help but occupy himself by eavesdropping on the nobles. Most of their whispers were full of strange tales of murdered courtiers, all of them found with needle stabs all over their bodies. At first, Kirby dismissed these wild stories as mere gossip, until he happened to pass over a vent and a single word caught his ear.

"… Rinku…"

He stopped in his tracks, listening as hard as he could. The voices of the two strange men below were very low, but the puffball strained his ears as hard as he could to learn more.

"That idiot boy… that prisoner we took… did he take the drug?" one cold voice asked.

A high, rather wheezy laugh was the reply. "Oh yes! He took the drug… temporarily changed… it was marvelous! Marvelous!"

"And what of the… ah… side effects?" the cold voice asked, the smallest hint of a chuckle touching it.

The wheezy voice snickered again. "Oh… you mean the little berserker rage? He should've killed at least… people by now… maybe even… you can so easily execute him now, My Lord…"

A high, cold laugh ripped through the air, rattling every bone for miles around. "Yes! Rinku is now a criminal of the law! He shall die for his crimes!"

Kirby felt the blood rushing from his cheeks, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. So loudly, in fact, that he almost missed what the cold voice said next.

"My so called son… bah! If he were truly my son, he'd stop trying to help the peasants and fight on my side instead! But no! He _has_ to study about that foolish meddler Link and that stupid princess and he thinks he can be a hero now! I'm done with him! Once those peasants see their great hero dead, none shall turn against me again!"

"My lord… the peasants see him as much more than a rallying point," the other voice wheezed, snickering, "They practically see the boy as a god… their last hope… oh how good it will feel to reap his blood from my hands…"

"_Oh man…"_ Pichn groaned, his stomach squirming.

"Ness! Ness!" Kirby whispered, racing after the boy.

Ness was only about ten feet away, but his face was gray as ash. He too was staring down into a vent and as Kirby approached, he noticed that the former Smasher's hands were shaking.

"Ness, what's wrong?"

The boy turned his face to gaze at Kirby, his eyes widened in horror. He opened his mouth, but closed it. Instead, he gestured for the puffball to look in the vent below. Forgetting their argument, Kirby shuffled over and peered inside.

Redness… blood… that was the first thing he saw. There was blood all over a single young man standing with his arms pinned behind his back in the middle of what he recognized was the throne room. Drops of red splattered the young man's golden locks, bandages covered his entire torso. But despite the way he looked, the young man's eyes still bore an unwavering determination, flashing icy blue at all the jittering witnesses to his disgrace.

It didn't take a genius to know who he was.

"_R-Rinku!"_ Picho gaped in disbelief.

"Rinku…" Ness confirmed. Then, he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye.

A flash of chain mail caught the light of the torches upon the walls. A small wisp of brown hair vanished into the shadows. And as Ness continued to watch the shadows, a pair of determined blue eyes appeared, transfixed concernedly on Rinku.

"_That's the Cimar guy Link was talking about… so that means-"_

"Princess Zelda is here as well…"

"And he's safe!" Kirby sighed in relief.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

"This court shall now come to order!"

That voice was colder than ice, causing Ness's blood to freeze in his veins. Next to him, he felt Kirby shiver at the sound of the words. Despite their fight, Ness patted his old friend on the back to try to encourage him.

Of course, that didn't really work.

"SILENCE!" Sorius shouted, banging his gavel again, "I said this court shall now come to order!"

The jittering on the sidelines stopped. Ness and Kirby both leaned forward in anticipation. In the shadows, Ness saw Cimar's chain mail catch the light again as he too leaned forward to listen. Luckily, he was the only one that noticed.

The great man in black armor shot a glare once around the court with his evil yellow eyes before training them on his bloodied son before him. A smile curled at his lips at the sight of Rinku's weakened state.

"Prince Rinku of Hyrule," he purred, wetting his lips as if Rinku was another morsel he could eat, "Do you know why you're here?"

Rinku pretended to think of his answer before speaking. "… was it because I dumped salt into Lord Thimblewhistle's coffee this morning? Because I was really bored and-"

"Wait, that was you!" a rather fat man off to the side asked, his face going beat red. "I threw my servants in the moat for that, boy!"

Rinku winced slightly at the thought. "Well… I hope they could swim…"

"Well of course they couldn't! They're servants!"

"That is enough!" Sorius growled, shooting a hard glare at both the lord and the young man. He then banged his gavel for more emphasis and started speaking again. "Are there any attorneys represented here?"

"Uh… no. You just dragged me, bleeding like hell out of that damned library, tied me up, whipped me, then threw me in here. How the heck can I get an attorney!"

"Silence, boy!" the Usurper snarled, he shuffled his papers, "Prince Rinku of Hyrule, you are here on charges of the murders of three well respected nobles and many, many brave guards in service to the crown! You are also accused of plotting against the King-"

"The Usurper King," Ness hissed.

"Sh!"

"Bring in the jury!" the great man bellowed.

Much to Picho's dismay, the jury turned out to be made of the exact same courtiers that had scoffed at him and his brother. Even worse, said jury was obviously working for Sorius. In the corner of the portal of his mind, he saw Cimar make a small motion, as if he was gripping a weapon of some kind even harder. The Guardian of Zelda hated this as well.

"Bring up the first witness!" another gavel bang.

A man Ness recognized as the Captain of the Guards from his uniform boldly strode up to the throne. He flashed a smirk in Rinku's direction before sobering his face and kneeling before the king.

"My Lord," he said, "The boy's a monster that must be destroyed! He took out over 50-"

"Did not!" Rinku snapped indignantly.

"Silence, boy!" Sorius banged his gavel again, "Continue, Captain of the Guards."

"The boy has taken out over 50 of my brave men," the captain continued, "He would've gotten me as well had it not been for my extraordinary skill with a lance." Here, Rinku gave a loud snort. "You can see the blood of many fallen men right there on his clothes-"

"Really?" the young man asked loftily, "Because this blood looks an awful lot like mine and-"

"Another word out of you, boy, and I'll hang you from the gallows!" Sorius snarled angrily. "Next witness!"

No words could describe the witnesses as they followed. Lie after lie was spoken, many cruel words were exchanged. All the while, the boys were unable to do a thing and in the shadows, Cimar was held back only by his thorough examination of the situation. He was outnumbered and could easily be defeated, as magic took a lot of energy from him. He knew he'd have to do something about this sooner or later, but not now.

"And… and that's how that stupid little thief ran off with my lady's ring!" the final witness, a maid, sobbed. Rinku only rolled his eyes at the obviously fake tears.

"Those are the charges," Sorius said with a sense of finality, his smile widening, "Do you have anything to say for yourself, boy?"

"Other than the fact that I didn't do it?" Rinku winced as the gavel came down again, almost cracking the table in two.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" Sorius spat at the six gossiping nobles.

"We have, your honor," one lady stood up, wrinkling her nose disdainfully at Rinku's bloodied state, "We the jury accuse Rinku of Hyrule guilty of all charges."

Sorius nodded, his smile never fading. "Very well… such crimes are punishable only by death…" His eyes gleamed menacingly at his bloodied son upon the floor. "Rinku of Hyrule, I condemn thee to die by burning at the stake at the crack of dawn tomorrow!" He smashed his gavel into the table one last time.

Three gasps could be heard around the room, only to be drowned out by Rinku's shout of protest as he was dragged away. Ness glanced desperately at Cimar, his face horrified in the shadows, wishing desperately that the young man would do something. For a moment, he could've sworn that their eyes met.

Ness blinked. Did Cimar know they were there? He couldn't have. He was right now too busy staring transfixed as Link's guardian was dragged from the throne room. Then, ever so slightly, Cimar inclined his head in Ness's direction and gave a tiny, almost imperceptible, nod.

Ness grabbed Kirby by the hand, who was still completely transfixed by the blood splattered on Rinku's clothes. "C'mon!"

"But… Rinku…"

"I said c'mon!" he began tugging the unfortunate puffball down the vent.

"_Do you really think he saw us?"_ Picho asked.

Ness gritted his teeth. "Saw us or not, he needs our help… we _have_ to save Rinku… we _have_ to!"

* * *

_Creak!_

"Wot's goin' on in 'ere?" Mah winced as the pirate's disgusting breath wafted through the air.

Snake held her back with one arm as he dug around in Ridere's pockets for a grenade. His hand finally closed around a small object, but he had to wait until his target was completely visible before he did anything.

"_This… is…"_ Ridere began.

"Say it and I'll throw this grenade at you instead," Snake growled.

"_You can't throw it at me! You'll be hurting yourself too, you know!"_

"Your point being?"

"I said, wot's goin' on 'ere!" the pirate bellowed, taking a step onto the stairs. Perfect.

Winding up his arm, Snake lit the fuse on the grenade and threw it with all his might. A deafening explosion sounded and drops of warm liquid sailed through the air. Grabbing Mah by the arm, Snake tried tugged her towards the exit.

"Don't look at the gut, don't look at the guts!" she urged herself.

"_Don't eat up the guts, don't eat up the guts!"_ Yoshi chanted.

Bright sunlight met the two as they stepped out, nearly blinding them. But suddenly, the glint of sunlight on steel flashed before their eyes and they found themselves surrounded, rapiers pointed straight at them. Despite his height, Snake position his body to act as a shield for Mah. Alone of their captors, Squall did not have his weapon out. Instead, he gazed upon them with a look of utter disgust.

"What have we got here?" he drawled lazily, "The little cabin boy thinks he can protect our prisoner? Ha! He can barely swab the deck properly!"

"_I do an awesome job at that and he knows it!"_ Ridere said indignantly.

Squall snapped his fingers. The pirate crew approached, their hot breath stinking the air. Mah braced herself into a defensive position, but to her surprise, Snake only placed his hand in his pocket.

"What's up with you and the girl?" he asked, his hand wrapping around a familiar object.

If Squall noted any change in his voice, he gave no sign that he did. "The girl will bring us a good profit." He laughed. "And if the price is right, we won't have to work ever again! This stupid sea… I'm sick of it! I'll buy myself a place on the mainland or something! They'll never hear from me again!"

Snake felt Mah tense beside him, but he only tightened his grip on the round object. "Listen, why don't you just get out of here? I mean, you're on open sea. It's not like he's going to come after you while you're out here. The world's a big place, kid…"

Squall shot him a glare. "I don't need a runt like you telling me what to do! _I'm_ the captain of this ship! Seize them!"

"RUN!" Snake shouted, hurling the grenade to his left. The explosion caught three pirates by surprise before they were blown to bits, earning him and Mah enough time to break the circle.

"Get to the lifeboat!" he ordered, digging around some more in Ridere's pockets, "I have to do something!"

Ridere raised an eyebrow at the sight of the corpses and the blood as Snake leaped over them. _"And I thought you said that killing people was wrong!"_

"Shut up!" Snake growled, "That was an exception to the rule!"

"GET THEM!"

"Oh crap…" Snake muttered, "Now where are those damned C4s!"

"_They're gaining!"_

Sure enough, Snake felt the cold steel tip of the rapier just barely tap the back of Ridere's neck as he ran. The tiniest trickle of blood ran down, but the soldier didn't care. He had stopped digging around for C4s now and was running for his life. He cursed his inability to adapt to the boy's body.

"_Let me take over,"_ Ridere urged, _"I know what to do!"_

Snake bit his lip. "How do I know you won't go nuts with that yoyo of yours?"

"_Just trust me!"_

Snake blinked. The next thing he knew, he was watching as Ridere dashed to and fro, evading the deadly points of the rapiers. He raised an eyebrow at the boy's speed and stealth. It was almost instinct to him as he moved and amazingly, he even found the C4s in his pockets.

One by one, the boy began dropping them on the deck, sometimes even sticking them on the masts and the walls. Every time he passed the door Mah and Snake had come out from, he threw at least three in before running off again.

"_Get the poop deck as well!"_ Snake ordered, _"We want to make this a clean explosion!"_

"Easy for you to say!" his guardian shouted, "You're not the one that's about to get hacked to pieces!"

"_Stab to your left!"_

Ridere whirled just in time to see the flash of steel as is lunged straight for his chest. He only had a split second to leap away. He landed lightly on his feet…

… right on top of the rapier.

Snake gaped at him. _"What the f-"_

"I fight for my friends!" Ridere yelled as he yanked the rapier right out of the pirate's hand and stabbed him in the head. "I also take crack and heroin."

"_Seriously?"_

Ridere rolled his eyes. "No!" He began dropping C4s again.

The footsteps behind him never ceased. Ridere rolled behind a barrel, but he couldn't run anywhere else.

"_That's great! That's just great! I let you fight for a little bit and now you're going to get us both killed!"_

"Not if I can help it!" the boy said triumphantly, "Epic disguise time!" With that, he pulled out an all too familiar object…

"_My box!"_

Meanwhile, Mah had managed to climb up the main mast using the netting. She had managed to evade the pirates and was holding onto the beam as if for dear life. She was not one for heights and the wooden beam she was currently balancing on rocked uneasily over the waves.

"_We're safe now,"_ Yoshi sighed in relief.

Despite her worries, Mah nodded. "Yeah… no one can get up here… no one…"

"That's what you think," a cold voice behind her snarled.

Mah whirled around, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of Squall, perfectly balanced on the beam of the mast. His gun blade was out and he spun it lazily in his hand as he glared at the girl. With slow, measured steps, he advanced towards her, his balance absolutely flawless.

"You really thought you could get away?" he snarled, "You really thought you could overpower me?"

Mah pressed her back against the main mast. "W-What do you want?"

The boy shrugged. "I told you already, didn't I? I need you to bargain with… with the right price, I can be free of this damned ship… I can finally live life the way I wanted to live it… not on this ship… on land… where I'll have people my age to talk to…"

"But is that what you really want?" Mah whispered, "It's not right to sell people into slavery…"

"_Or capture them, or starve them, or starve little green dinosaurs!"_ Yoshi added.

Squall's mouth pulled back in a snarl. "No one tells me what to do! Especially prisoners like you!" He pointed his gun blade at her. She saw his finger move towards the trigger. "One squeeze and it will all be o-"

"MAH!"

Both Squall and Mah were immediately distracted by Ridere as he ran under the mast. His face was contorted with worry and he seemed to be holding a control of some kind.

"USE THE ROPE!" he yelled before dashing away again.

Mah looked to her right and immediately spied a rope that was just dangling there, swaying with the ship. Before Squall could recover from his surprise, she grabbed the rope leaped off.

"COWABUNGA!" Mah yelled, swing in a wide arc.

"_AHHHH!" _Yoshi screamed in response, _"This is so awesome and so scary at the same time!"_

True enough, though they were high up, neither Mah nor Yoshi had ever experienced a feeling such as this. The salty air swirled around them as they swung, the wind rushed at them at lightning fast speeds. There were butterflies in their stomachs, but they didn't care. The feeling was exhilarating. The adrenaline pumping through their veins only added to the excitement.

A sudden thought entered Mah's head. Shifting her wait slightly, she sent herself hurtling right towards Squall's astonished face.

"Eat my foot, jerk!" she yelled before delivering a quick kick to his face.

Yoshi watched as Squall lost his balance and tumbled off the beam. _"Yeah! That's what you get you jerk!"_ He stuck his tongue out at him.

Ridere had just finished shoving the last of the food he could grab into the lifeboat. He estimated it was about three week's worth of food. He looked up into the sky long enough to see Mah use the rope he had pointed out to help her kick Squall in the face. He smirked. That kid totally deserved it.

"_Is everything in place, Ridere?"_

Ridere nodded. "Yep. We just need Mah to get here, and-"

_Thump!_

"Oomph!"

Snake looked up. _"… Mah's here."_

"Good to know…" Ridere's voice was muffled.

"_Perfect landing!"_ Yoshi said happily.

Mah got off of Ridere. "Sorry! … you actually should've moved…"

Ridere dusted himself off. "It's fine… but we have to get out of here, fast!"

"I'm way ahead of you!" The heavy footsteps of the approaching pirates almost muted her voice.

The two jumped into the precious lifeboat, their blood pounding in their ears. Ridere slashed the rope with a knife he found and lowered it into the water with a great splash. Mah grabbed the paddle and began rolling. Ridere picked up his controller to the C4s and prepared to press it when a face he knew all too well popped up over the side railing of the deck.

Squall's face was lined in anger. "Ridere? What's the meaning of this! Get back here right now and bring the girl!"

Ridere frowned at the order. "No!"

"No?"

"No!"

Squall pounded his fist on the railing. "What madness are you talking about?"

A gleam appeared in Ridere's eye. "Madness? This… is…"

"_Don't say it!"_ Snake warned.

"SPARTAAAAAAAA!"

"_Must… not… facepalm…"_ Snake urged himself as Ridere pressed the button.

_BOOM!_

The little boat was pushed away with the force of the explosion, far enough so that both Ridere and Mah could watch as the ship caught on fire and sank beneath the waves. The smell of burning wood, flesh, and debris filled the air as the dreaded boat they had come to hate slowly disappeared in the icy water.

Ridere looked to one side at Mah, but she had fallen asleep. Then he realized that he too was exhausted. Not caring about the screams of about twenty dying humans in the distance, the boy rested his head on a small bag of flour and closed his eyes.

* * *

"_Concentrate… clear your mind…"_

"_OUTTA THE WAY!"_ Falco raced past him, almost knocking the blue Pokemon off its course.

"_Falco you cheater!"_ Fox yelled, racing after the joyous bird, _"You got a head start!"_

"_I didn't get a head start! You just wasn't paying attention!"_

"_Why you…"_

Lucario sighed inwardly as the two colored clouds raced off ahead of him. He hated it when his peace and quiet was interrupted, but he had long ago mastered his anger. He only needed to take deep breaths now and clear his mind…

"_Falco! Get back here!"_

Well, so much for clearing his mind.

He passed over a beach, where the first thing he saw was what looked like Wolf Wolfen parked on the beach. Blinking in surprise, he realized that this wasn't an exact copy of Wolf's former fighter jet. The ship seemed to be coated in extra armor and the back of it seemed to be a bit wider. But everything else was a near exact copy, right down to the exact shade of red that coated it.

Lucario looked up and watched the two squabbling pilots as they flew away. He meant to follow them, only a force tugged at him and told him to stay behind. He took a closer look at the people on the beach, reading their auras.

There were two females and one male. The two females seemed to have mixed auras about them as one aura surfaced while another one danced around them. It was a strange sight indeed.

He read the first girl's aura, the one who was kneeling and feeling the other girl's pulse. Her aura was deep red, like the secrets she possibly held. It pulsed gently with her movements, but never strayed very far away from her body. It wrapped around her like a sheet, fluttering softly like a veil. But this aura also showed traces of a color he did not often see: black. He recognized a gray aura dancing within her, one that was filled with harsh pride and the taste of adventure. So Wolf lived inside her as well.

The second girl, on the other hand, had a cerulean blue aura unlike that of Wolf's guardian. But to his great horror, Lucario saw traces of Shadow Bugs dancing within it. He knew that overlong exposure to those things was horrible for a human. The Shadow Bugs would eat away at their mind, heart, and soul until there was nothing left. The power of the Smashers protected them – and possibly their guardians- from ever being harmed by these things, but was it possible that she came in contact with them in the past? The girl did not have long…

But then, he saw another aura- this one gold- rising in her that helped cleanse the bugs just a little bit. Lucario floated closer. This aura was full of the energy of youth, with some cockiness mixed within. Pit's angelic force was trying to drive the bugs back, but even he was not strong enough to stop it.

Finally, the male. There was something else about him. For one thing, he only had one aura about him: his own. His aura was sky blue, filled with adventure and resourcefulness.

Lucario felt the force tug on him and he knew. The resourceful male was to be his guardian. There was no other explanation for it. His suspicions were confirmed by the sudden lurch in his stomach as he was pulled right form the air and into the male's mind. He sped through dark tunnels, turning this way and that until he was finally spat out into what looked like the hull of a ship.

The young man's mind.

"Is she alright?" the male was saying, "I mean, I really didn't mean to-"

"She's alright…" the girl across from him sighed in relief, "She's alive…"

He frowned in concern at the girl's unconscious form. "She looks like she needs some kind of medical attention… I can give you guys a lift on my Wolfen there. One of my teammates is a medic…"

"_Eric?"_ a voice crackled to life in the Wolfen, _"Eric where the heck are you? We need you, NOW!"_

He dashed over to the Wolfen and snatched up the radio. "Mars? Is that you?"

"_No, this is the pizza man,"_ Lucario could almost hear the male on the other end roll his eyes, _"Of course it's me! Where the Hell are you! Aly and I are getting shot at like there's no tomorrow!"_

"Mars, I have two girls here-"

"_Whoa, wait, what? You have to girls with you… and you're not sharing them!"_

"Hey! It's not like that! Look, one of them needs some serious medical attention, and-"

"_Alright, alright. Just bring them over here and as soon as we can get to a safe spot, I'll see what I can do."_

"You're a lifesaver, Mars," Eric breathed a sigh of relief.

"_And you're an idiot. NOW GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE!"_

"_Hey, Mars! I was supposed to say that!"_ this time, a girl's voice came over the radio. _"Eric, this is Aly. GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE!"_

Eric put down the radio with a small groan. Sometimes, he wondered why he joined the team in the first place. He began walking back towards Heather and Psyche.

"_They seem like humans you would get along well with,"_ Lucario said conversationally.

Eric jumped about a foot in the air at the sound of his voice. Quick as a flash, his gun was out and pointed at some invisible thing behind him. Heather frowned in confusion as he did this, but she said nothing. She remembered that she had this same reaction when Wolf came to her. Could it be…?

He fingered the trigger. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"_That would be quite impossible, seeing as I'm trapped in your head and whatnot…"_ Lucario answered, _"And kindly put that gun away. You look like a fool pointing it at nothing."_

Eric shook his head and turned back to Heather, who was limping over with Psyche's unconscious body. He looked the two women over once before giving a nod and pressing one of the buttons in the cockpit of the plane.

The back of the Wolfen opened up, similar to how the trunk of a car moved. An entire back chamber was revealed, filled to almost bursting with cherry red suitcases. Wolf's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Sorry 'bout the mess," Eric apologized, "The boss doesn't exactly travel lightly. I had to have this thing specially modified just to fit her stuff."

Heather nod in appreciation. "Thanks…" Wincing slightly as she put weight on her still injured leg, she dragged Psyche in. She slammed down the door after her.

Meanwhile, Eric cheerfully leaped into the cockpit and began starting it up. "Put on your seatbelts everyone! This is going to be a bumpy ride!"

"What seatbelts?" Heather asked from behind him. Eric held back a grin.

"Just try not to get squished by the boss's stuff! I'm pretty sure she keeps her extra weights in one of those things!"

The engine roared to life as he spoke and it was not long before they hovered off the ground. Wolf remembered this feeling all too well and for a moment, he was sorely tempted to push the pathetic human pilot aside and show him how a _real_ Star Wolf commander could fly.

"_Amazing…"_ Lucario commented as they soared above the clouds, _"I can see a great many things from this height…"_

Eric nodded. "It's pretty hard not to spot anything from this height. Then again, we're also at a more serious risk to thunderstorms and stuff…" He shot a glance at Heather's metal limbs. "… But maybe I should take her lower…"

"_ERIC! GET THAT WOLFEN OF YOURS HERE NOW!" _Aly's voice was back and sounded even more annoyed than before, _"I'm going to run out of ammo at this rate!"_

Lucario glanced at Eric's radar. The two dots that represented his teammates were way too far away. It would take forever to get over there at the speed they were going. All he needed to do was find a spot where he could concentrate and manipulate the girl's aura and cleanse it of Shadow Bugs. Then again, two other young humans needed their help as well…

"Hold on to your hats!" Eric began flipping switches. "Because we're about to go to… Ludicrous Speed!"

"Ludicrous Speed?" Heather had a bad feeling about this. "Wolf…?"

The former pilot laughed and rubbed his hands together in response. _"I don't know what that is, Heather, but it sounds fun… and fast…"_

Heather took one look at the suitcases and quickly shuffled to the nearest corner, being careful not to expose an inch of Psyche's body to the heavy things. Wolf, on the other hand, licked his lips in delight at the thought of this new speed. How fast would it be? How exciting? How long will it take to finally activate? He counted the seconds…

"_Three… two… o-"_

_BOOM!_

Everything was transformed into a humongous blur. The Wolfen zipped through time and space at such a speed that it would've put Sonic the Hedgehog to shame. The flesh and blood denizens atop the ship had the sudden sensation of their flesh about to be torn away from their muscles and bones.

Heather felt her hair pull back and stand up straight as the Wolfen shot off, her heart pounding in her ears. She managed to block the red suitcases as they rolled every which way, but was unable to stop herself from being pinned against the wall by the oncoming wind. Wolf howled his happiness as the ship shattered the sound barrier.

Lucario, on the other hand, did his best to remain calm about the situation. Of course, the Pokemon couldn't stop his stomach from feeling very queasy as the colors flashed by. He ended up throwing up later, much to his Guardian's chagrin. Shakily, Eric struggled against the howling wind and managed to press the stop button.

The Wolfen slowed immediately, thrusting Heather and Psyche forward. Heather shakily got up, her blood still pounding in her ears, her hair completely disheveled. A single drop of blood slid down the corner of her mouth, but she wiped it away. Thankfully, her unconscious companion was only mildly battered.

"N-Never… do that… again…" she gasped.

"_Are you kidding!"_ Wolf asked her excitedly, _"We have to do that again!"_

"_There you are!"_ Mars' voice crackled over the radio.

Wolf first thought when the young man's ship came to view was that he was staring at Falco's Arwing. Out of habit, he reached for his blaster before realizing he would only be harming Heather if he started blasting at the thing. Another look showed him the face of a rather arrogant looking raven haired adolescent. He grinned at his fellow pilot through the cockpit of his Arwing.

"_You took at least five whole minutes getting here!"_ Mars shouted, grinning all the while, _"Get here faster next time!"_

Eric picked up his own radio and spoke into it. "Listen you; I didn't install that Ludicrous Speed button for nothing! Just because you have the fastest ship doesn't mean-"

"_There you are!"_ Wolf watched as a model of Fox's Arwing pulled up on the other side of Eric's Wolfen. A girl grinned out from the cockpit, her face mostly covered by the dark pilot's helmet she wore. _"You took forever! And you might have to work on my Arwing later… I need more guns!"_

Lucario gave a small chuckle as Eric groaned. _"I assume that you just finished adding more lasers and such to her arsenal?"_

"More than that," he replied, "I gave her at least five more handguns to use _and_ stuck a bunch of rocket launchers on that thing of hers! She's got it all!"

"_Wait, I have rocket launchers? Sweeeeeeeet…" _an explosion nearby told Lucario that she had just fired them off.

"_Watch it!"_ Mars yelled indignantly.

Heather held back a chuckle. These three sure were lively.

"So what was all of this about getting shot a-"

"_INCOMING!"_ Mars had only a split second to yell that before a blast recognizable as a jet black arrow found its way to Eric's ship, causing it to rock uneasily.

"Whoa!" the pilot grabbed his controllers and pulled them towards him, trying to steady his plane. "What was that?"

"_Just shut up and start shooting!"_ Aly ordered, _"Those Primids are shooting at us! It's… it's like they sense something weird about us!"_

Eric gulped, his thoughts turning to Lucario. "Yeah… weird…" he pressed a few buttons. "I'm activating my shields. There's no way I'm taking another blow like that again!"

"_Says the guy with the best defenses!"_ Aly laughed before zooming off. Wolf watched as she left, fighting off the temptation to shoot her.

"I'll help you fight, if it means getting everyone out alive," Heather offered, snatching up her staff.

Eric nodded his thanks. "I'll open up the top for you. Just try not to fall out, okay? We've got _enough_ things to take care of right now!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Mars was holding out quite well on his own. Biting his tongue between his teeth, he was able to fire his lasers in quick succession and took down most of the front line. He then swooped down like a hawk and took out even more Primids with the wings of his Arwing, speeding off right when the others were prepared to counter attack.

"_Stop being a coward and fight like a man!"_ Falco told him. He hated the hit and run technique.

Only moments before, the two were united as Smasher and Guardian. Unfortunately, their bond was much like Pit's and Psyche. Except Mars held small respect for Falco, seeing as he was piloting an Arwing modeled after the bird's. In the back, Aly's suitcases slipped and slid around as Mars came back again for another attack.

"What are those things?" he asked as the Primids pulled out more Subspace cannons and started shooting black arrows at him, "They look like they should be shooting actual lasers at us, not arrows!"

"_Don't get too cocky with those things, Mars,"_ Falco told him, _"They were able to pick off us Smashers pretty easily using those things…"_

Mars snorted. "What? The greatest fighters in all the known universes taking down by itty bitty arrows? Please!" He dived down yet again.

"_Says the guy who uses the 'Hit- and- Run'_ tactic_!"_ Falco shot back, _"And don't get me started on the cowards who use it!"_

"Says who?" his guardian snorted, "The Great and Mighty Falco?"

"_It's the Awesome and Mighty Falco, thank you very much,"_ the bird retorted, _"Lemme show you how a __**real**__ pilot fights."_

Mars used one hand to reach into his pocket and pull out a golden coin. He flipped it into the air and caught it, but his tail wing was hit. He hated it when that happened.

"Well, there goes Eric's hard work!" he said cheerfully, "Looks like another six hours on it tonight for him!" He flicked the coin in the air. "Call it, Falco!"

"_Heads!"_

Mars caught the coin and smirked. "Tails! So no, I'm not letting you pilot this thing."

"_Oh yeah? Well why don't I do this?"_

Falco roughly pushed Mars' soul out of the way, allowing himself to take over. The few moments of pure pain passed quickly and it was not long until the bird's fingers closed upon the familiar controllers. For a moment, Falco reveled at the thought of having opposable thumbs again. Then, narrowing his eyes in concentration, he took off right at the Primid army.

"WOOOOOOHOOOOO!"

He zoomed close to them, so close in fact that he was able to stare right in their eyes. He let lose a rain of bullets, not letting a single one escape. He dodged nimbly to avoid the black arrows as they came for him, still shooting all the while.

"_Hey! You're wasting ammo!"_ Mars sounded pretty annoyed. _"Stop being an Aly!"_

Falco rolled his eyes. "Unlike Aly, I'm actually aiming at these things."

"_Sure… watch out!"_

"Oh shit!" Falco swerved sharply to his left, just in time to avoid a black arrow aimed for his engine. He managed to bowl over Primids as he went. Falco blew a raspberry at the Primids behind him.

Mars rolled his eyes. _"And I thought you were a professional pilot. Aren't you supposed to be… I don't know… mature?"_

"Maturity's overrated," Falco muttered, "But this is fun!" He swerved to the left again, impaling a number of his enemies on the wings of Mars' Arwing.

"_Don't mess up the paint job!"_ his guardian groaned, _"Eric's already going to be pissed about the tail wing!"_

"Shadow Bugs are easy to get off. Just wash, rinse, and repeat."

"_How is that supposed to help!"_

"It doesn't."

Before Mars could answer, the former Star Fox member was up in the sky again, this time firing round after round of bright blue lasers at the unwitting foes below.

* * *

In Aly's Arwing, Fox winced every time his guardian fired yet another hundred rounds of lasers at the Primids below. At this rate, the girl would easily run out of ammo. For the thousandth time, he opened his mouth, only to close it when Aly created a gaping hole in the Primid lines. He didn't know if he should be proud or yell at her for missing more than she was hitting.

"Now _that's_ what I call ammo!" she yelled happily as another ten missiles were let loose. Fox estimated that only three actually found their way to the Primid lines.

Aly cheerfully twirled her radio round her finger. "Hey Mars! Got any plans, Mr. Tactician?"

To Fox's surprise, Falco's voice answered her. _"Uh… you mean besides not shooting at those things like there's no tomorrow?"_

Aly blinked slightly at the sound of this new voice. From what Fox had told her, this had to be Falco, his former teammate. That meant that Mars, her teammate and the tactician of the group was his guardian.

How ironic…

"Primids of Subspace… EAT MY BULLETS!" Aly fired off another round of them, kicking up dust as the shells touched the earth.

Fox vibrated slightly in Aly's mind as the recoil hit her from loosing so many bullets at the same time. _"A-Alyyyyyyy…"_ He steadied himself. _"Aly!"_

His guardian stopped shooting long enough to listen. "Yeah?"

"_Erm… do you mind if I… take over from here? You know, to avoid causing any more damage?"_

Aly raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Damage? What damage?"

Fox pointed to the multiple dents in the back where her luggage was, the bent up left wing, and the multiple scratches on the paintwork. In addition, there was a small fire burning near the tail wing, the engines were spurting out black smoke, and the window was slightly cracked.

"Ehehehe…" Aly laughed nervously, "Um… sure… I guess…"

At the moment Fox regained control of her body he grabbed onto the controllers and swerved the Arwing out of harm's way. He caught on short glance of Mars' Arwing as it zoomed around in the heart of the Primids lines and Eric's Wolfen just simply floating there. He had no time to think of what to do as an explosion caught him from behind.

He shot a look at the diagram of the ship on his screen. The tail wing had been hit and part of it had broken off. In addition, he had less than 10% of his ammo left.

Definitely not good.

Fox fumbled a bit with his radio before being able to speak into it. "Falco, I have a situation here! I've got less than 10% ammo left!"

"_And I have an annoying guardian! We all have problems!"_ Falco shot back.

"_Put that ammo to good use, then!"_ Aly shouted, _"Bang! Bang! Bang!"_

"And what happens if we need it for emergencies?"

"_Then we leave and let Mars and Eric do the shooting,"_ Aly shrugged, _"Just as long as we can take a few more Primids while we're at it!"_

"Okay, no!" Fox shook his head in disbelief, "We're going to help them as much as we can _without_ using too much ammo!"

"_But that's no fun!"_ Aly whined.

"It is for me!" Fox replied cheerfully before flooring it.

The engine sputtered to life and he zipped across the skies, bypassing Eric's Wolfen in seconds. "Here we come!"

* * *

"Nask! Marth! … Whoever you are!" someone was shaking him. "Speak to me! Say something!"

His legs were burning, he could feel the flesh upon them peeling off ever so slowly. The voice sounded so far away…

"Marth! Marth!" that person wouldn't stop shaking him, "Marth, it's me! Ike! Say something, anything!"

Ike…? That name rung a bell somewhere.

"_Marth? Marth! Marth! Get up, Marth!"_ that voice rang loud and clear.

"N-Nask…? I-Ike…?" he began to cough, spasms taking control of his body. He felt someone prop him up against something rough and woody. Marth's eyelids flickered slightly as he coughed some more.

"Thank Ashunera you're alive!" Ike gasped. Behind him, Pikachu's signature battle cry rang out.

"I-Ike? What's… happening…?" another cough overtook him. The mercenary eyed him with concern and groaned.

"The situation's getting even worse," he replied, "Half of the clearing's been burned down and that dragon doesn't seem to want to stop. We've tried everything against it- her, but it's not gotten any better." As if to confirm this, a roar shook the clearing, followed by at least ten cracks as the trees were knocked down like dominoes.

Ike grabbed Marth and shoved him out of the way just as a tree came for them. He had only a second to dodge again as fire sped towards the two men. In Ike's mind, Cam bit his lip in frustration. He could_ feel_ whatever remaining energy he had left leaving him. Once his energy supply was exhausted, his life was forfeit.

His eyes darted desperately towards the dragon, who was clawing about as a figure, Samus, was shooting at it. Though she was once one of the best shots in Smash Brothers, her aim was waaaayyyy off. This was partially because she didn't really know how to use her guardian's gun. She fired again, aiming for the dragon's eye, only to send her shot accidentally towards the stone around its neck. Quick as a flash, a claw came up and deflected the blast.

Cam's eyes widened. _"That's it!"_

Ike blinked. "What's it?"

"_Ike, let me take over,"_ Cameron ordered, _"I know what to do."_

"Are you kidding me!" Ike shouted, "No way! I'm not letting you put yourself in danger like that!"

"_Ike, listen. You see that stone? That thing's protecting it like crazy! That stone has to be some source of power or something."_

Ike watched as Pikachu rolled aside with a slightly singed tail. A tail, he knew, that was singed from just narrowly avoiding a blast of fire. If he had stayed still for just another second…

He didn't even want to think of it.

Pikachu began nursing his burnt tail. "This is too much! She's too strong!"

Ike bit his lip. This wasn't looking too good.

_Fwoosh!_

He could feel the sudden warmth in the air. Definitely not good!

"_Ike, we can't juts keep dodging!"_ Cameron insisted, _"We'll have to stand and fight sooner or later!"_

"Easy for you to say… You weren't the one that lost everything… all because of some Ashunera damned fireball…"

"_Ike… all you ever talk about now is Mia… you've had at least a hundred years to get over her… isn't that enough?"_

The once strong mercenary held back tears. "… it's never enough… she was so young, so pure… I was going to spend the rest of my life with her if I could…"

"I-Ike," Marth coughed again, "Y-You can't spend the rest of your life pining for her… and at the same time, we can't spend the rest of this war fighting for out guardians… it's time that we…" another cough, "it's time that we… we…" Coughs rattled his body, rendering the former prince unable to speak.

Pikachu placed one little paw on the prince's arm. "That we let our guardians develop their fighting skills…" he gave a small laugh. "We can't let them rot, after all."

The air suddenly grew even warmer. Pikachu's faced paled at the sight of an oncoming onslaught of fire. It was huge, too huge to dodge.

Ike felt this as well. He only needed to glance over his shoulder to see it. "Get behind me!"

"_Oh no! I'm not letting you take the fireball,"_ Cameron snarled, _"Not when it's both mine and your life on the line!"_

"If you have any better ideas, say them!"

"_I __**do**__ have an idea,"_ his guardian replied emphatically. _"Please, just trust me on this!"_

Ike shook his head. He would not loose another loved one to the dreaded flames. He saw Marth's look of horror, Pikachu's tears, but ignored them. It was already painful enough knowing that he and his guardian would not live to see the end of Tabuu. He braced himself, ready for action.

"_Ike!"_ Cameron was almost begging now, _"Ike, please!"_

The mercenary shook his head. "I'm sorry, Cam… but-"

"_Yune DAMMIT, IKE!"_ Cameron's rage fed his strength as he shoved Ike's mind out of the way. The mercenary only felt a sudden sharp pull as he was yanked right out of the real world and back into the desert of Cameron's mind.

Cameron blinked and found himself back in his own, familiar body. He could feel the injuries Ike had sustained and the many times he was burned. A familiar weapon bounced against his thigh. He grinned as Sigmund the Rapier was drawn and back in his hand.

"C-Cam?" this voice was feminine. Cameron glanced over his shoulder at Nask, who no longer possessed Marth's deep blue eyes. She looked weakened, but unlike Marth, there was a faint flush to her cheeks.

Cameron acknowledged her with a nod before he faced the great wall of fire, Sigmund out and ready. It was only seconds away now, but he made sure that Nask and the Pikachu girl was safe behind him. The flames, he realized, were even taller than him.

Oh well…

"What are you doing?" Nask asked at the same time the Pikachu blinked and a crazed spark replaced his look of fear.

Cameron gave no answer, only held out Sigmund and braced himself when he was hit. The Legendary Weapon of Tellius glowed red hot as soon as the flames hit, but it held and sliced right through the fire ball like it was paper. Nask grabbed the Pikachu as the fireball was split in half and shielded it with her own body.

Cam's arms were shaking like crazy. The impact of the fireball alone should've been enough to knock him off his feet. But the thought of two fellow guardians behind him spurred him on. Sigmund's hilt glowed red hot, hot enough to burn right through his leather gloves. But Cameron only winced as the burning metal touched his skin.

"_Cam…"_

"Shut up, Ike!"

"_Cameron…"_

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"_Cam, it's over."_

"What…?"

He heard Nask get up behind him as she let the Pikachu free. "It's over, Cam… you did it…"

"I did it…?"

"Who are you people!" Pikana demanded.

Nask flinched in surprise at the sight of the talking Pikachu. "Uh…"

"I mean, you guys just appeared and squished those things while I was just about to rip them apart!" Pikana ranted, "And then Arceus blessed me again with Bazookie, but I barely got to use it against them Primids because I had to blast half of Bazookie's ammo at Traca! She just _had_ to go dragon right when I got blessed again! And don't get me started on-"

"Whoa, hold up!" Cameron told her, "You're telling me- telling us- you _know_ that dragon!"

"And that she's _not_ a dragon!" Nask asked incredulously.

"_Hm… a manakete…"_ Marth mused, _"I remember when I traveled with a couple of them… fascinating creatures they were… they used their stones as sources of power to transform, and-"_

"She uses her stone to transform?" Nask questioned aloud.

Cameron's attention snapped to her. "Marth knows what she is?"

Nask shrugged. "He said something about a rock used to transform… I guess she's a manakete…"

Another roar shook the clearing. This time, Samus dropped in, blinking rapidly. When she opened her eyes the next time, Golfer's normal eye color replaced them. He stood up, mumbling irritably to himself.

"I take it you two are Marth's and Ike's?" he asked, nodding towards Cameron and Nask while Traca's roars shook the clearing again, "That girl's a bit distracted right now, so we're safe for a bit… or at least until she gets that rock out of her nostril…"

Cameron held out his hand. "I'm-"

Golfer's face paled. "Oh shit…"

Cameron turned around just in time to see a small gray rock fall to the grass. All four guardians covered their ears to drown out the following roar.

"We need to get that stone!" Nask shouted over the noise, "Marth said she'll be really vulnerable after that!"

"None of us will get close enough," Golfer shook his head, "Her eyesight's sharper than anything in that form. Unless she's distracted, she'll easily swat us aside when we try going for the thing."

"Well…" Cam winced as another ten trees were felled. "We can blind her, right?"

"It won't be easy…"

"But it's all we got!" Pikana said determinedly, "And I don't know about you guys, but I actually want to get out of here with more than one of my limbs intact!" She twirled her bazooka in one hand. "I'll be distraction. I'm the fastest!"

"And I'll shoot at her stone while she's blind," Golfer said indifferently, "But what I want to know is who's going to actually get up there and blind her? They'll be in the most dangerous position and if she catches you up there, you're dead." He shrugged. "Simple as that."

Cam looked around their small circle, his face set in determined lines. "… I'll do it…"

Nask stepped forward. "I'll do it two. There are two eyes… we can blind them both…"

"Nask… are you sure…?" he asked, "I mean… you're hurt… and… stuff…"

Nask gave him a small, sad smile. "I may be hurt… but I don't want to run while someone's life is in danger… I don't want to be that coward again…"

Cameron grinned in spite of himself. "You never were that coward… trust me…" He held out his hand and shook hers in one firm shake. He raised an eyebrow when he realized what arm this was. "Hey! It's healed!"

Nask shrugged. "I'm a fast healer…"

"_Uh… sorry to break this up…"_ Marth gave a sheepish laugh,_ "BUT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE FRIED!"_

The four guardians leaped out of the way just in time. Pikana pulled out her Bazookie, preparing it for action. Golfer scrambled up a tree that was close to Traca, but not close enough for her to spot him. He shifted his weight slightly, and leveled his plasma ray.

"HEY UGLY!" Pikana screamed, laughing manically, "EAT BAZOOKIE!"

"_Pikana, that's-"_ Pikachu had no time to finish his sentence when Traca's tail thrashed out and almost knocked his guardian away. _"Nevermind…"_

Cameron and Nask looked at each other. Nask nodded once before breaking out in a sprint, her Naginata grasped tightly in her hand. Cameron watched as she nimbly dodged Traca's claws and to his surprise, she gave a great leap before siddling right up the dragon's right arm.

"Hey! You got a head start!" he shouted angrily.

"_Cam, now's not the time…"_ Ike said uneasily.

Grumbling to himself, Cameron held his breath and took off running. Fireballs wizzed by him, coming frighteningly close at times. Occasionally, he would almost trip over Pikana as she hopped about. He leaped as high as he could when a claw came too close, flicked Sigmund in his wrist to deflect blasts of fire. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Nask hanging desperately for dear life by her Naginata as Traca thrashed about. She had managed to stab the blade through the thick dragon hide, not harming the dragon, yet at the same time effectively saving her life.

Cameron was able to gain some level footing when he jumped on top of Traca's claw, but only had a second to stab Sigmund down into the hard armor of her scales before she wiped her claws at Pikana. For a moment, he was tempted to jump off and run to help her, but he pushed the thought out of his head. He had a task to fulfill.

He began to climb, using the cracks and crevices between scales as footholds. He stabbed Sigmund into the scales as well to help his stability. Though the battle had been tough, the climb was tougher. He could see Traca's huge eyeball, clear as diamond, trained right on Pikana and nothing else. Taking a deep breath, he quickly began climbing the few yards that were left, sweating heavily as the air grew hotter and hotter around him.

"Al… most…. There…"

"_Easy, Cam… easy now…"_

"Whoa!" Cameron was jarred suddenly, right at the moment he was about to stab Sigmund in one last time. He lost his footing and began to slip down, a huge drop to the ground. He knew he would definitely break something on impact. He managed to cling onto a scale, but this one happened to be peeling off. He cursed reptiles and their need to molt.

The scale couldn't take his weight any more. Bit by bit, the jet black thing slipped lower and lower. One inch, two inches, three…

"No!"

_Snap!_

"Cameron!"

"Huh?" Cameron's blood still pounded in his ears as he realized that he was still hanging in the air. To his relief, all his bones seemed to be intact. In his mind, he could hear Ike's fearful pants loud and clear.

Then he realized that someone was grasping his forearm. Looking up, he saw Nask, her face flushed with the effort of holding his weight. Seeing his chance, he planted his feet on the surface of Traca's scales and with her help, managed to pull himself up onto her head.

Nask collapsed on the ground, panting with the effort it took for her to pull the other guardian up. "I'm… never… doing that… again…"

She took Cameron's slap on her back without a complaint. She watched as he made sure his weapon was nice and sharp before he spoke.

"You okay, Nask?"

She gave him a shaky grin. "N-Never… better…"

Nask reached for her Naginata and used it to help her stand up. Traca's head was a lot less stable than her arms as she moved it back and forth, trailing Pikana's movements. The two only had one shot at their task.

Nask dashed over to the left eye and managed to find small footholds for her feet. "Ready Cam?"

"Ready!" Cameron shouted back.

"_Are you ready, Nask?"_ Marth asked, _"Remember, you have one shot… make this count…"_

"One!" Cameron shouted.

"Two!" Nask answered.

"THREE!"

Nask stabbed downwards with the blade of her weapon, feeling a raw energy emitting from her pocket. The wedge, she realized, was responding to her distress. She watched with fascination as her Naginata began to glow and tremble, her hands growing cold has ice. With a cry of surprise, she let loose the energy that was building in her hands and out from the point where the blade had just touched the eye, a great wall of ice shot out, encasing the pupil as jet black blood flowed down Traca's face.

The dragon roared in rage as her sight was suddenly cut from her. She tossed her head, trying to get rid of the unending pain she felt in both eyes. Cameron and Nask tightened their hold on their weapons as she thrashed about, hanging on for their lives.

"Golfer!" Pikana yelled, now frantically dodging everything, "Shoot! Shoot now!"

Gritting his teeth, the bounty hunter leveled his gun. He scowled as one of Traca's thrashing arms got in his way. He hated distractions.

"_Relax…"_ Samus advised, _"Relax, take aim, and don't doubt yourself."_

"I'm going to do this…" he told her, "One shot and it'll all be over…"

"_You only have one chance, Golfer, make it count!"_

He fingered the trigger. "I will…"

He aimed, his finger squeezed the trigger, a small green blast shot out of the gun. It seemed to fly in slow motion as it approached, drawing everyone's attention to it. Pikana stopped dodging to watch it, silently cheering it on. Cameron and Nask craned their necks down to watch the bullet's progress. It was inevitable that this would be a successful shot, so inevitable. The vulnerable necklace Traca wore was there, _right_ there. It was only a foot away now… so close…

"What!" Golfer slammed his fist into the branch, "So close!"

Pikana punched a nearby tree, creating a gaping hole. "Blocked!"

"Blocked!" Nask and Cameron yelled at the same time.

Ike banged his head on a wall in Cameron's mind. Marth kicked the dirt. Pikachu felt his fear for Pikana's safety growing. Samus wanted to kick someone for their failure.

At the sound of their voices, Traca reared her bloodied head in the direction of Pikana, tasting the air with her forked tongue. Pikana's breath stopped in fear as she realized that there was no where she could run to safety. She wouldn't be fast enough to avoid any of Traca's attacks now. Her energy supply had been depleted in all of her dodges.

She could only back up as the dragon reared her head and breathed in. Cameron and Nask, unable to let go, watched helplessly as the Pokemon shrunk back.

_Fwoosh!_

"Gotcha!" someone yelled. Pikana had the sudden sensation of being grabbed up in strong yet gentle arms and being rolled about until she was deposited safely on the grass. She looked about for her savior, but only caught a glimpse of his jet black hair before his sword was out and he was running straight towards Traca.

Up in the tree, Golfer was still beating himself up for missing. Samus, on the other hand, stopped comforting him long enough to watch as a boy she had never seen before nimbly dodged Traca's thrashing arms and leaped up, the sun dancing on his pale features. His sword grasped in his right hand, he brought downwards and swiped it right through the string that held Traca's amber stone. He landed lightly on the ground while the stone tumbled to earth.

By this time, Pikana could see him very clearly now. "Who… who is that guy?"

Pikachu only had to take one look at the boy's crimson eyes before he sighed in relief. He remembered how when he had last visited his fellow Smashers, a certain Star Warrior had just been freed. He had been sharing his tales about his guardian when the Pokemon came in.

"_Thank Arceus,"_ he breathed, unable to believe their good luck.

"Who is he!"

Pikachu grinned. _"He is Wrath, Guardian of Meta Knight…"_

_

* * *

_

Tabuu hated this. He hated all of it. It was bad enough when he found out he had lost so many troops to those pathetic guardians. But his own son! Well, his foster son, but his own son!

This was not good.

He heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he found himself face to face with a rather short Smasher who was never without his rounded helmet. The blue man scowled as he approached. From the expression on the Smasher's face, he did not bear good news.

Then again, was there ever good news in these times?

"What is it, Captain Olimar?" he growled, "Have you found him yet?"

The little man shook his head. Tabuu's frown only deepened. In a fit of rage, he send a powerful blast from his hand into the courtyard down below. A few Primids were tossed up in the air.

"Where is he!"

It had only been a few hours ago since he had discovered Wrath was gone. His window was open, his floor torn up. His closet was empty and his sword was gone. There was absolutely no other logical explanation for his leaving, but even Tabuu didn't want to believe it.

He was a guardian.

Tabuu's anger and hate at the group of teens that had caused him so much trouble had since then grown deeper than the depths of Subspace itself. He had sent his troops everywhere looking for Wrath.

They never came back.

He had heard reports of two Arwings and a Wolfen making trouble near the beach. He would have to deal with them later. For now, it was high time he should find the guardians and destroy them.

Of course, he only needed to destroy one. They needed exactly thirty five if they wanted to succeed. But just in case, it was best if all thirty five were gone.

Even the boy he had raised, Wrath.

He knew there was something special about the kid when his mother, a slave, gave birth to him and died. Tabuu had noticed how he didn't look a thing like the other pathetic humans that worked as his slaves. He was plump, happy, strong, and intelligent.

… maybe _too_ intelligent…

Tabuu was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he almost didn't notice as a voice suddenly began to sing. It was very faint, as if the person was singing from another world. But he was just barely able to make out the words.

_EGO voco Procer Pacis…_

A bright pink comet soared across the sky, turning cartwheels in the air. Tabuu wrenched his head up in surprise.

_EGO voco Caput Olimar…_

This streak was a soft yellow. Tabuu could only gape in fear and surprise.

_EGO voco Pokemon Instructus…_

A red and white line lit the sky for a moment before disappearing over the horizon. Tabuu slammed his fists on the balcony and whirled around at Captain Olimar, his teeth clenched in anger.

"What are you doing just standing there! Didn't you see those colored lines in the sky! Get off your useless but and put together an army, quickly! Follow those three streaks!"

He was so busy ordering about that he completely missed the fourth and final streak as it few across the skies. This one was forest green, with just a little bit of blue mixed within.

_EGO voco Toon Link!_

**Woot! Done! **

**Thanks again to SkywardBlayderJulz for her wonderful beta reading skills and Wrath Draconian for her awesome art. It's up on my website!**

**Remember, visit my website if you lost track on what the guardians are doing. **

**I would like to give special thanks to:**

***FutureCam**

***Naskara- Dragoon**

***ShadowWolf 2.X**

***KimotoDragoon**

***MrGreenMan12**

***Ridere93**

**For putting together the Guardians Arise soundtrack! We were really bored in a chatroom one day and well, it was a lot of fun in the end. Every guardian's going to get a main theme and a battle theme and we've got a ton of other songs thrown in there as well. I'll post it when it's completed! :D**

**Bye bye! **


	15. Sakura, Beeh, Lin, and Squall

Three Leaders and a Hero

**No guardians names up there! Woo! The title would be waaaayyyy too long if I actually put them. XP**

**Well, after listening to "Angel of Darkness", Pit/Psyche's Guardian's theme song, I present to you guys this chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smash Brothers. But I do fight for my friends. I also take crack and heroin! (insert awesome face here)**

**

* * *

**

She had almost no time left…

The clock was ticking away…

Second by second, minute by minute…

Time was almost up…

"_The girl is dying…"_ Lucario murmured, _"I must help her now."_

"Uh… can she wait to die until _after_ we get out of this mess!" Eric asked as he fired lasers at the group below. Eric slammed his thumbs down two red buttons on his controllers. Two machine guns popped out just under the wing and began firing right at the front lines. The recoil of firing off so many rounds shook the Wolfen, throwing Heather's aim off. She lost her footing and slipped, sending a blast of her Psyforce right into Eric's back.

"YEOWCH!" Eric slammed his arm into another button, releasing rocket launchers every this way and that. An explosion nearby told them that the launchers had hit _something_. Primid heads and limbs flew up into the air, raining dead and dying Shadow Bugs every which way.

"_Watch it!"_ Falco's annoyed voice crackled over the radio, _"You almost took me out with those things!"_

Heather uneasily staggered over to the pilot. "I'm sorry, Eric, but-"

To her surprise, Eric shot up immediately and gave her a gentle push out of the way. As he passed, she caught a flash of deep amber in his eyes. No noticed when the nose of the ship took a dangerous dip downwards…

Lucario took the unconscious girl by the shoulders and squeezed her shoulders, a familiar blue fire building around his hands. He watched as the memories of her life, from the time she first met her best friend, to the time she was united with her Smasher, danced in front of him. Each memory hit him like a painful stab to the heart, but the Pokemon held on despite all the pain he felt.

Heather looked on in fear and fascination as Psyche's body was engulfed in these blue flames. She was writhing, her face contorted in pain. Heather started forward to throw Lucario off of her, but Wolf held her back.

"_He's trying to help her,"_ he growled, _"Unless you'd really like to have a dead body on your hands, I'd suggest you don't interrupt."_

Heather trembled slightly at the thought of such blood on her hands. There was already enough bloodshed in her past to last a lifetime. She wouldn't be able to bear another innocent soul lost.

Or in this case, two innocent souls…

Meanwhile, Lucario was ready to give up. The girl's aura was rapidly weakening and he couldn't see Pit's anywhere. The Aura Pokemon could only see a deep purple veil covering every inch of her aura. Soon enough, the Shadow Bugs would break through her system and begin eating away at her very flesh and bone. Her life would be forfeit…

Then, he heard a voice. _"Palutena! Grant me strength!"_

There it was! He saw a flash of golden light twinkling from deep inside the girl's mind. He watched as this light blinked thrice before growing into a near unstoppable force. A single sharp cry was ripped from the tiny throats of the Shadow Bugs as they retreated as far as they could from the light. Lucario sighed in relief. Pit was winning the battle.

But just then, the Shadow Bugs that were just retreating clumped together and formed one giant mass of fear and evil. They lashed out like a whip against Pit's light, putting it out like a candle. There was still the tiniest flicker of the golden aura through this unexpected counterattack, but it would soon go out. Lucario gripped the girl's shoulders harder.

"_ACCEPT THE AURA!" _he concentrated with all his might, channeling as much power he could spare into Psyche's body. The girl writhed even harder now, a scream was torn from her throat.

"Psyche…" Heather whispered, biting her lip in worry, "She's hurt…"

Wolf ignored her, sensing that there was something wrong with this situation. Other than the fact that there was a writhing, screaming girl on the ground and that they were still getting hit pretty often, there was nothing that he could tell was wrong. His eyes traveled over Aly's suitcases, to the rather large toolkit tucked in the back, to the parachutes…

… all the way to the pilot's seat.

"_Who the Hell is driving this ship!"_ he yelled, _"Someone grab the wheel!"_

Heather shot an imploring look at Lucario's form, still gripping the girl's shoulders. By this time, the fire around his hands blazed electric blue and Heather could practically see the blue fire- the aura- dancing within Psyche's eyelids. Now Lucario's face was contorted in pain, but he managed to give her a shaky look.

"_I-I… c-c-ca-… can't…"_ he panted, _"N-Need… to… s-save… her…"_

His guardian's mouth never moved, since the Pokemon retained his powers of telepathy from when he was in his body. For a moment, Wolf wondered if Mewtwo had retained his Psychic powers as well. It took him a while to notice that Heather was still staring transfixed as the battle between aura and Shadow Bugs continued. He lost his patience.

"_DAMMIT, HEATHER! GRAB THE WHEEL!"_

His guardian blinked, tearing her eyes away from her little companion long enough to look in the direction of the wheel. Without a moment's pause, she had grabbed it and was trying to navigate her way through the multiple black arrows that were coming their way. Four flew at them, but only one of them missed the ship. Heather winced as the alarms of the Wolfen began blaring.

"AAAHHHH!" Psyche's eyes flew open, Lucario's fiery aura shooting out of them like laser beams. Out from her eyes and her mouth, strange black lights flew out and twisted themselves into a solid form. Throbbing and pulsing menacingly, it leaped for Lucario, trying to revenge itself upon the thing that dispelled them from their host.

Too weak to do a thing, the Pokemon readied itself for the impact. He closed his eyes and said a single prayer to Arceus to spare the life of his guardian. Weak and dull though his senses were, he could see very clearly the oncoming shadow that was all too ready to consume him. At the wheel, Heather looked around, her dark eyes flashing in horror.

"NO!" in one swift movement, Psyche leaped forward and from out of nowhere, pulled out a large square object. It shone brighter than any star in the universe as the Shadow Bugs made impact to it, sending them hurtling straight back. The great lump of Subspace slammed into one of Aly's suitcases and sank down to the floor. The cherry red piece of luggage wobbled slightly upon impact before falling forward with a loud _thud!_, crushing the Shadow Bugs underneath it. Lucario blinked in surprise, his head swimming.

"_Oh! So __**that's**__ where the boss keeps her extra weights,"_ Eric commented.

Heather struggled to regain controls of the Wolfen. Unfortunately, one of the tail wings had been snapped off by an incoming arrow. She felt the thirst for adventure rising in her, but it was not her desire.

It was Wolf's.

Heather sensed a slight disturbance in the air. Looking over her shoulder, Lucario was meditating to regain his energy. Psyche, meanwhile, was nimbly climbing up to the sunroof, Pit's bow in hand. Heather thought that it was strange that the girl would have so much energy after going through such an experience.

"_Hey Heather, mind if I drive?"_ Wolf asked, unable to hide his eagerness.

Without even waiting for an answer, he yanked Heather's mind back and took over himself. A feeling of belonging came over the former pilot as his hands grasped the familiar controllers. The desire for adventure filled him once again as he flexed his fingers experimentally. A malicious grin broke out on his face as he grabbed hold of the wheel. It was his turn now.

Heather, meanwhile, had been yanked back so hard, she had been tossed right out of her body. Wolf had told her that this could happen on occasion. Heather turned her transparent hand over in slight fascination. Well, this was lovely.

"_Heather!"_ a voice half yelled beside her, _"Are you alright!"_

The voice was very high and panicky. In spite of herself, Heather smiled and turned to face the ghostly form of Psyche, who was alternating her gaze from Heather to Pit. The angel was currently in control of her body, explaining why she still had the energy to fight even after suffering through so much trauma because of Lucario's treatment.

"_It's good to see you alive and well, Psyche,"_ Heather patted the girl's shoulder, _"Are you alright?"_

A dark shadow flitted across the other girl's face. _"I… erm… well… I'm alright, I guess…"_

Behind them, Wolf let out a piercing howl while Lucario gave him a reproachful glare. Heather frowned at the hesitation in the other girl's voice.

"_You don't sound like it… what happened…?"_ Heather shifted her position so she was fully facing Psyche, _"What's wrong…?"_

"…" Psyche threw a small glance at Pit, still shooting away. Heather watched as her bottom lip trembled when she looked, her eyes blinking rapidly. She was holding back tears.

"_Pit again?"_ Heather whispered, _"Did Pit say something to you again…?"_

Psyche wrung her hands. Heather could almost see tears rolling down her cheeks, though she could not cry in this form. Lost for words, Heather reached out and pulled the girl into a hug. Psyche's spirit trembled against her, as if wracked with sobs. The sound of Wolf's triumphant yells and the explosions below seemed miles away now…

"_He… he never stops to listen to what I have to say…"_ Psyche's voice was choked with tears, _"he talks to be like… like I'm… like I'm the worse fighter he has in his stupid army or something… he doesn't… he doesn't understand…"_

"_Mm…"_ Heather nodded, seeing the reason, _"But maybe… maybe it's because you also don't understand him yet, either…"_ she felt the girl stiffen. _"… do you know what he was before he was stuck inside that jar?"_

"…" Psyche remained quiet.

"_He was the commander of an army,"_ Heather continued, smiling a little at the memories, _"I learned about him and all the Smashers from stories told long ago… it was said that his army, every single one of those soldiers, were braver and stronger than anything in the world. They were angels, just like him, but they were also something more. They were Centurions, who followed all his orders to the best of their limits…"_

This time, Pit's guardian glanced once more at her Smasher. He was fighting with the strength and valor of a tiger, occasionally even jumping right out of the sunroof to shoot his arrows before leaping back in. Her long brown hair, which he often complained about, whipped around him like a great tornado, but he didn't let this bother him. His aim seemed to be just as sharp as ever. Though he had often told her that her lack of strength hindered how far she could draw the bowstring, there he was right now, drawing the powerful string of Palutena's Bow as though it were made of nothing but air. The angel had never truly struck Psyche as a very competent fighter, but at this moment, he wasn't fighting a battle.

He was _living_ it.

At the same time, Heather looked at Wolf. He was wrenching the steering wheel of the Wolfen to and fro, causing it to lurch dangerously in all directions. Lucario, still meditating, glared at him but he didn't care. He was laughing and howling, his pride in himself and his thirst for adventure radiating off of him in one golden glow. They way he blasted off the enemies far below caused Heather to wonder if he really was a pure villain like he had claimed.

"_He is a good fighter…"_ Psyche admitted reluctantly, _"But… that doesn't give him any excuse to treat me like that…"_

"_Maybe he isn't aware that you shouldn't be treated like that,"_ Heather told her gently, _"Remember what I said? He had some of the best warriors in the known universes under his control when he had his body… and he's lived for so many years now… he's never had a truly weak soldier, ever! Psyche, you're not what he's used to. You're… well… __**you**__ while he's used to soldiers who never talk back to him and who are more powerful than any mortal alive… he hasn't really had the experience of working with someone like you… you two are a team." _

"…"

"_Even though he's not exactly the best partner in the world, give him a chance. All his life he's been in the commanding position, no question. Give him a chance… let him get to know you better… and soon, you'll be kicking everyone's butt out there. Even…"_ Heather let out a small chuckle. _"Even mine and Wolf's…"_

"_I don't know…"_ Psyche said doubtfully.

Heather smiled. _"Trust me on this one. Just give him a chance… who knows, maybe you guys can develop something a bit beyond the whole professional partners relationship."_

Psyche wrinkled her nose. _"Doubt that…"_

"_Guys! I'm taking some pretty bad hits over here!"_ Fox's voice broke slightly as he struggled to speak. By the sound of the explosions in the background, the Primids had managed to breach his defenses.

"_You're not the only one!"_ Falco answered, _"Those damned Shadow Bugs are clouding up my windows! I can barely see a thing!"_

Wolf grabbed the radio. _"Why don't you two shut your yaps and figure out a way to defeat all these guys at once! We can't be here forever and sooner or later, these things will be out of gas!"_

"_Wolf!"_ both pilots said at the same time.

"_No time for explanations, Star Fox,"_ Wolf snarled. He looked at how much gas he had left. Barely an eighth of a tank. _"What's important right now is that we have to get outta here, __**pronto!**__"_

_

* * *

_

Fox nearly dropped his radio as Wolf roared those last words. Pronto? He checked his gas tank. Sure enough, he had barely an eighth of a tank left. He bit his lip. There wasn't much he could do about it without a certain toad on hand…

"_Hey! That Slippy guy sounds just like Eric!"_ Aly said cheerfully, _"Only… he's not a toad, he's not that annoying, and he complains a lot about stuff he has to fix. And I keep telling him that it's not my fault Mars and I always trash our ships by the end of the day! He just needs to add more shields!"_

"Or maybe you can stop trashing it so much," Fox suggested. He wrenched the steering wheel to the side, narrowly missing Falco as he zoomed by. The defeaning sound of metal scraping against metal filled his ears, as well as multiple bangs as he was hit by arrows because of this avoidance. He picked up his radio. "Falco! Watch where you're going! I almost got my engines taken out!"

"_If I could see you, I'll make sure to swerve!"_ Falco shouted, _"These stupid Shadow Bugs are stuck on my window and they won't come off! The idiot who designed these things forgot to put windshield wipers!"_

Alarms went off in Fox's mind. "Aly!"

"_What!"_ his guardian shrugged, _"They slowed us down and they got in the way of my shots! Besides, we weren't really expecting to get all caught up in this war!"_

Fox paid no attention to her. His hand shook in horror as he trained his gaze to the farthest corner of his window. A small purple lump had appeared, dark and pulsing. It was now quickly spreading along the window pane, leaving not a single dot of the outside world left.

"Falco! Your ship's contagious!"

"_Now see here, Fox, my ship is __**not**__ some kind of virus that-"_

"Oh yeah? Well, then how did these Shadow Bugs get all over my windowpane!"

"_Shadow Bugs on your window pane! What are you talking ab-"_

The sound of crunching metal filled the background, as well as the familiar blare of Falco's alarms. Fox listened as the bird gave a shout of surprise, the clicking of many switches being frantically flicked. Falco's pants clouded up the microphone and it was not long until the crackling of electricity filled the air. And all through this, the alarms got louder and louder…

_Wee- ooh! Wee- ooh!_

"Falco! What's wrong! What's going on!"

"_That's the alarm that sounds when an important part of his Arwing gets blown off…" _Aly murmured, _"Has he been shooting things without me!"_

Fox had no time to answer her. Between the increasing amounts of static over the radio and the rapidly growing parasites that were ready to engulf his window in darkness, Fox had no time to worry about his guardian's constant want to shoot something. Then, an idea struck him. Flipping a few more switches, he brought out what was left of Aly's rocket launchers. To his dismay, Shadow Bugs clouded up all but one tiny hole of the aiming scope.

"_What are you doing!"_ Aly demanded as Fox squinted to look through the tiny window that was left. Without answering, the pilot slowly moved the scope so it aimed not at the group of Primids below…

… but at the window of the ship itself.

"Aly, are these windows missile proof?" he asked, readying his thumb to press down on the button.

Aly hesitated before answering. _"Well… yeah… Eric __**did**__ say they're missile proof, but-"_

"Good enough for me! FIRE!" Fox slammed his thumb down on the button that activated the missiles. Two explosions on either side of the Arwing shook its walls as the missiles were let loose, aimed straight for the window covered in Shadow Bugs.

_BOOM! POW!_

Three different explosions slammed into the Arwing only seconds later. The ship shook in the air, smoke roiling from its cockpit. Wolf, who was flying by, stopped to gape at the smoke. Whatever Fox did was complete suicide!

It wasn't long until the smoke cleared. The Arwing, though badly battered and missing almost half of its tail wing, still just barely managed to stay in the air. Fox coughed as the smoke filled his lungs, but covered his nose and mouth with Aly's shirt collar and squinted.

To his complete dismay, the missiles proved to only knock off a few Shadow Bugs at most. The little parasites were now slowly eating away at his window. Fox was at an altitude that would kill him if the bugs managed to shatter his window. That is, if the bugs didn't eat him up first! Tiny cracks appeared on the invisible barrier that was his window. Fox bit his lip in worry.

Suddenly, his alarms began blaring. Fox recognized this as the same alarm that was in Falco's Arwing only minutes before. He checked his status screen, which was thankfully still working. His tail wing was being slowly eaten away now, and the crunching of metal filled the air. It wouldn't be long…

"_What is wrong with my ship!"_ Aly yelled angrily, _"I'm am __**so**__ docking this from Eric's paycheck later!"_

"It's not your ship, it's the Shadow Bugs!" Fox began hurriedly turning on his radio. There was an awful lot of static on the line. "Those things eat anything they touch! Anything from human flesh to signposts aren't safe from those things!" He held the radio up to his mouth, hoping that the Shadow Bugs had not yet eaten up his connection.

"Falco! Wolf! Are you guys still alive!"

"_Right here, Star Fox,"_ Wolf replied lazily. His connection was pretty clear, save the light amounts of static. _"Since when did you and Falco decide that Shadow Bugs would make a good cover up for your Arwings?"_

"This isn't the time to joke around, Wolf!" Fox snarled, "Falco? Falco?"

"_Here…"_ his teammate's voice was just barely able to break through the static. _"Shadow… eating…. Arwing… not… time… left… before… consumed…"_ His voice gave in to static there. Fox stared at the radio, his hand trembling.

"F-Falco…?"

Aly bit her lip. _"His connection's been eaten up… Mars and Falco are both on their own now… there's nothing we can do…"_

_

* * *

_

In the Shadow Bug covered Arwing, Falco watched in horror as the cracks that had already appeared in his window widened with every passing second. Soon enough, the window would shatter under the potent power of a million Shadow Bugs slowly eating it away. According to his status screen, they had already eaten up the tail wing and was starting on his right wing.

Falco gripped the controllers to his Arwing all the more harder. If he was going down, he'd take at least a few thousand Shadow Bugs down with him. Maybe throw in a few Primids.

Mars' eyes swept over the situation, taking in every detail. He watched as the Shadow Bugs, liquid in every respect, slowly pulsed and moved about. He winced as the largest crack, the one right in the middle of his cockpit window widened even more. It wouldn't be long now…

Falco had already tried to shoot at them, like what he took Fox had done earlier, judging from the explosions. But like Falco, Fox had failed to shake off the Shadow Bugs with his lasers and rocket launchers. Unlike during the first Subspace War, the Shadow Bugs this time were powerful, much more powerful. It was bad enough that they consumed everything they touched. But now they were unaffected by even the most powerful of weapons?

That was just ridiculous.

"_There's got to be a way to get rid of these things…"_ Mars murmured. Even while he was nothing more than a spirit, he still flipped the coin he always carried up in the air and back down.

Falco shook his head. Though he had braved many battles and seen through man near hopeless situations, he was just about ready to give up hope in general. The bird gripped his controllers harder, tears stinging his eyes. Though he was never one to admit it, Team Star Fox- and later the Smashers- were like family to him. It was a hard thing having to have members of you family pass on…

But an even harder thing to be leaving them himself.

Though still blinded by the Shadow Bugs, Falco jammed the controls forward and he sped off, opening fire in all directions. Explosions from down below told him that he was hitting _something_. With his radio off, he couldn't tell if he was hitting the Primids or his teammates.

Right now, it didn't matter.

The roar of the engines filled his ear, the smoke roiling out of it coiled up his nose. But Falco was senseless to it all. The lust of his final battle filled his mind, the strange desire to die and take down as many people as possible as he died was all that commanded him. For a few moments, he was like Aly, never letting a second go by without letting off a couple of rounds.

"_FALCO! DO A BARREL ROLL!"_

"Huh!" Falco blinked, snapping back to earth. Gone was the bloodlust of the battle, gone was the rush of pride that overtook him as he zoomed blindly through the air. He was relieved to be stopped in the middle of his rage, but angered at Mars for snapping him out of it. What kind of guardian ruined his Smasher's fun in his last hour?

"_Do a barrel roll!"_ Mars commanded again, _"trust me on this!"_

"Mars, I plan do die _without_ hearing my guardian trying to copy Peppy the Hare, thanks," Falco said wearily. He gripped the controllers again, ready to take off. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as the large crack widened still more. He saw the stars and focused on them, knowing that this would be the last time…

"Wait a minute…"

"_I don't know what happened,"_ Mars told him, _"But some of those things fell off while you were zooming around. It's like they dried out and just flaked off! That's what I'm trying to tell you! Doing a barrel roll will create a whole tornado o air around you…"_

"And shake those stupid bugs off…" Falco finished, realization dawning on him, "Mars… why didn't you notice that earlier!"

"_What, no 'Thanks, Mars'?"_

Falco had no answer. With a new intent in his mind, he shot forward like a bullet, watching as a few Shadow Bugs dried up- just like Mars said- and fell off. Quite a few fell, but even more were produced to take their places. In the background, the alarms blared even louder. This time, the blinking thing was the engines.

"_Now they're attacking the engines!"_ Mars groaned, _"Eric is going to __**kill**__ me! And Aly's going to… be Aly…"_

With all his might, Falco wrenched the steering wheel to the left, his gut wrenching as the ship followed. His blood rushed to his head, his vision soon began to swirl before his eyes. Though any normal pilot would've immediately shied away from such a complicated technique, Falco was no ordinary pilot. He was a proud Smasher, a former member of Team Star Fox.

Quickly but precisely, his hands moved in the intricate patterns that had been so brutally taught to him long ago by Peppy Hare. Peppy's never ending corrections and demands filled his memories and as the layer of Shadow Bugs slowly peeled away like a scab, he could've sworn that he saw Peppy's likeliness reflected in the stars, smiling at him.

His vision now crystal clear, Falco checked his status. Part of his wing was missing and his entire tail wing. What was more, his engine was damaged. He wouldn't be able to stay in the air for much longer. He picked up his radio and tested it, smiling as he heard the satisfying sound of static.

He looked in the direction of Fox's Arwing. The thing was almost consumed by the Shadow Bugs. Though some fell off because Fox was frantically zipping about, it would not be long before the Arwing was completely consumed. Thankfully, the Shadow Bugs that covered Fox had not covered his radio signals.

"Yo Fox! You still alive in there?" Falco asked, praying that he was.

There was heavy static on Fox's end. _"… co? … alive? How… you… that?"_

"Mars saved my butt," Falco answered. He checked the land below him, satisfied that most, if not all, of the Primids had been taken out. "And it looks like the guys who were shooting at us have either been blasted to bits or ran away."

"_Blasted to bits is more like it!"_ Wolf drawled, _"Unlike you two, I still had plenty of ammo to spare!" _Lucario's voice sounded in the background. _"Right, right… why can't you just meditate on the mainland, again?"_

"Listen, Fox," Falco ordered, "You're going to hate me for this, but it's the only way to get those things off of you!"

"… _tell… please…"_

"DO A BARREL ROLL!"

"_You got… be kidding! Stop… Peppy!"_

"Listen, man, I didn't exactly like that rabbit yelling that at us either," Falco told him, "But you've gotta do it! Those bugs will dry up and break off like crazy!" His eyes widened as he noticed sparks and even a small fire dancing around Fox's engines. "Fox, your engines are going! You have to do it _now_!"

"_I can… another… way!"_

Before Falco could answer, Wolf's growl cut through the static. _"Listen here, Star Fox… I don't know about you, but I'd like to make it out of here without wrecking my guardian's pretty little face. The only face I'd like to wreck right now is Tabuu's and I'm pretty sure that you two want a shot at him too. If you really give a damn about your guardian's face __**or**__ about ripping up that stupid Subspace filth, I suggest you both shut the hell up and JUST DO THE FREAKING BARREL ROLL!"_

Falco held his breath at the awkward pause that followed. In the distance, even the Subspace parasites seemed to stop eating their way through Fox's ship long enough to notice that pause. All time froze.

And then…

Fox slammed his controls forward, allowing his ship to propel at top speed. At the same time, Falco's and his engines failed and they soon began to hurtle towards earth. Falco ripped off his seatbelt and grabbed the nearest parachute, kicking open his cockpit in the process. He leaped out, his parachute unfurling with a _snap!_ as his Arwing slammed to the ground, its parts flying everywhere.

Though his engines had failed, Fox was still able to maintain enough control over his ship to do the intricate hand movements that would make it do the barrel roll. His stomach lurched, his head ached and pounded. For a moment, he was tempted to stop right in the middle, but he knew it wouldn't be good for him. He had to slow down gradually.

He could sense the ground as it approached. It seemed so close now. Fox took a deep breath and closed his eyes, awaiting the impact.

_BOOM!_

_

* * *

_

_BOOM!_

"Huh?" Golfer looked up into the sky at the sound, watching as something that looked a lot like a plane of some kind hurtled towards the ground. Most of its surface was on fire, so it was a wonder that the thing was still in mostly one piece. A small trail of smoke curled up from where it had landed.

Behind him, Traca was wiping the black blood off her clothes as she stood up, thankful that she was still able to see. Even after all the pain she felt from those twin stabs, she was actually quite glad Cameron and Nask stepped in when they did. She was also just as glad when this strange black haired boy ran in and managed to cut off the stone, despite hers and Roy's constant thrashing about.

"_T-that… was… too… close…"_

Speaking of Roy…

She glared up at the Son of Eliwood. "It's your fault, you know! If you hadn't tried controlling my dragon form, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Next to her, Cameron and Nask fell on either side of her wings with a loud _thud!_ Both of them were completely covered in jet black blood. Nask even sported multiple cuts on her face from where she had slipped while climbing Traca's hard dragon scales. She spied the dragon stone on the ground. At Marth's suggestion, she picked it up and pocketed it. Though she wasn't able to use it, she could at least prevent another out of control dragon attack.

Golfer pointed to the trail of smoke still curling up into the horizon. "Anyone know what that was?"

"_Well, it's pretty obvious that it was a ship,"_ Samus replied, _"But it doesn't look like any ship I've seen in a while…"_

Truth be told, Samus knew exactly what kind of ship it was. It was easily Fox's Arwing. But what concerned her was what it was doing out in the open like that. Tabuu had destroyed both Fox and Falco's Arwings, plus Wolf's Wolfen. Was it possible that he somehow had tracked down Slippy? Or a mechanic talented enough to build such intricate contraptions? The bounty huntress had no answers.

Wrath ran over to the three on the ground, concern evident in his voice and actions. "Are you three alright? That was some fight!"

"_Indeed…"_ Meta Knight agreed.

_Click!_

In a flash, Pikana was behind him, her bazooka out and ready. She was fingering the trigger and boy did she look _pissed_.

"Oh… shit…" Wrath took a step back.

"Now listen, you!" Pikana snarled, "I don't know who you are, but lemme tell you something… I am _not_ some prissy little damsel in distress, got it?"

A bead of sweat dripped down Wrath's forehead. "W-Well… you were in trouble, and… didn't look like you were able to hand yourself, so…"

"DIE, NON BELIEVER!" she screamed, "EAT MAH BAZOOKIE!" She blasted a bullet at Wrath, who just barely dodged it.

"S-Settle down now, girl…" Wrath pleaded, "I'm sorry…"

This only served to make Pikana even madder. "And now you talk to me like I'm some sort of animal! EAT CHAINY!" She revved up her chainsaw and grinned maniacally.

"_Pikana…?"_ Pikachu asked nervously, _"Maybe you're overreacting just a bit…"_

"Get away from me you crazy chu!" Wrath began running, Pikana chasing after him. Despite their tiredness, Nask and Cameron managed small grins as the boy was chased about.

"Guys, focus!" Golfer shouted, glaring at Traca like it was her fault Wrath and Pikana were fighting like that.

"Get this chu away from me!" Wrath yelled form behind a tree.

"Teach that guy some manners!" Pikana shot back.

Nask stood up, still sticky with Traca's black blood. The wedge in her pocket was still pulsing with pure energy. Cameron stood up as well, but not before helping Traca up and wiping the sticky blood from his hands onto his clothes. He picked up Sigmund from the ground and wiped the legendary blade on the grass.

"He's right, guys," Nask told them, unable to keep herself form smiling at Wrath's situation, "We should really go investigate that blast."

Pikana frowned. "But I was just getting started…"

"_Pikana, I think he had enough. Besides, you can always get him again later, right?"_

Pikana grinned at Pikachu's suggestion. "Good idea, Pika- kun!" She gave Wrath one last glare before putting away her weapons and running after Golfer on all fours as he led the way. Wrath stared after her, his heart still pounding from being only inches away to being sliced apart and blasted to bits.

Meta Knight, on the other hand, was quite amused. _"She is quite the warrior, is she not? Perhaps a small bump in the correct direction when it comes to her temper will further strengthen her…"_

Wrath dusted himself off and began following Pikana, taking care to stay as far away from her as possible. "I just don't want to get on the other end of that bazooka again!"

The pathway, once obscured by trees, was now cleared thanks for Traca's flame breath from before. Despite the bright light gently shining through the foliage above, Marth couldn't help but feel a strange foreboding build up in him as Nask confidently walked the path. There just seemed to be something so wrong about how there seemed to be more than just the ashes of leaves upon the trees.

They looked an awful lot like dead Shadow Bugs.

"_Nask…?"_ Marth gulped, _"Do you ever get the feeling that there's someone else around here besides your own group?"_

Nask stopped. She wasn't usually a fast walker, but immersed in her thoughts, she had gotten ahead of the group. The sounds of two voices arguing came up in the distance. They sounded an awful lot like Traca and Golfer. She sighed. This was going to be one long war.

She looked around before answering. "There's no one here, Marth. And judging on what I could tell during that blast, there's no way anyone could survive that explosion…"

She continued walking, slowing her steps so the others could catch up. She noticed that Golfer and Traca no longer seemed to be arguing. Looking back, she realized that Cameron had his rapier pointed right at Traca's neck while Wrath had his sword pressing against Golfer's neck as they walked. She shook her head.

Typical…

"Aly, a little help here, _please_!" That voice was one that Nask did not recognize. Marth restrained the urge to say "I told you so!"

"_It came from up ahead… be careful, Nask…"_

The girl stopped in her tracks. "I don't feel like going in there." She turned to the group. "Anyone wanna go investigate?"

"I'll go, if it means getting away from _him!"_ Traca shot a glare at Golfer. She didn't mind when Cam's rapier lightly touched her throat, drawing blood.

"_Traca, are you sure about this?"_ Roy asked, _"I mean, you nearly killed everyone, nad-"_

"That was because _you_ tried controlling _me_," Traca pointed out, "And I can take care of myself pretty well!"

"A little too well," Golfer murmured darkly. Wrath glared at him.

Traca gently pushed Cameron's rapier away and began hopping from tree to tree. Despite her nimbleness, branches often fell after she landed on them and jumped off. Roy winced every time this happened. You never know when you would fall off and break a leg.

"_There!"_ he shouted as Traca passed by the edge of the forest. Even a blind person wouldn't miss the three huge ships in the middle of this place. Two out of the three were badly battered, lying either on their side or smashed headlong into the ground. The third ship seemed to be in reasonable condition as it stood upright. Roy didn't know what the third ship was, seeing that he had just rejoined the Smash Tournament before being captured, but he recognized the two beat up ones as Fox's and Falco's Arwings.

"_Weren't those things destroyed…?"_ he murmured to himself.

"Sh!"

There were four- no, five- people standing around. A tiny girl was almost obscured behind the other four people. Two of them, a black haired male and a female with guns hung all around her body, seemed to be arguing. Another male, meanwhile, was staring at the two thrashed planes as if someone had just died. Meanwhile, the tall girl with a mature face and the small, skeletal girl next to her looked on as the two argued.

"I was the one who thought up of doing a barrel roll!" the male argued, "I should get something for it!"

"I don't pay you to sit around and take forever thinking up plans!" the girl argued.

"You don't pay me at all!"

"Yeah, so?"

The male who was once staring at the Arwings ran over, a large part in his hand. "What I want to know is what the _hell_ did you two do to these things! This is going to take _hours_ to fix!"

The girl turned to him. "Just stick in a couple more shields and give me a few more rocket launchers and we'll be fine."

"I am _not_ giving you of all people any more weapons than you already have! Besides, you never put up your shields anyways!"

"Those things get in the way of my shooting," the girl said with a shrug.

"But they're transparent!"

"_They sound like quite a team…"_ Roy muttered, slightly amused, _"But are they friends? Or foes…?"_

Traca leaned forward to get a closer look at the small group. They all seemed like pretty nice people, despite how ticked off the three in pilot's clothes looked. As she leaned forward, the branch began to tremble. Roy watched as a tiny crack appeared at the base of the branch.

"_Traca, you're leaning too far out! You're-"_

_Snap!_

"AHHHH!" the girl's scream echoed to the small party still just outside the border. Wrath was introducing himself to them when the scream was heard. Wrath and Cameron were the first ones to react. While Wrath grabbed his stuff and started running in that direction, Cameron ran over to a napping Nask and roughly shook her awake.

"What is it this time…?" she mumbled sleepily.

Marth was amazed. _"You didn't here Traca screaming!"_

Nask yawned. "I was too lazy to keep my ears open…"

"_No time to make sure she actually gets her butt moving, we have to get to that girl,"_ Ike told Cameron.

Shooting back a glance at Nask as she calmly walked to the clearing, Cameron decided to listen to Ike and broke into a run. He dashed headlong into Wrath, who was holding a defensive position. The two boys fell to the ground and looked up facing the barrel of not one, but two powerful looking guns.

The five people in the clearing had seen Traca fall out of the tree and were now in complete attack mode. The three pilots all had their pistols out and ready. The girl pilot was somehow able to hold four at once, rather than two, like her partners. The tall young woman grasped a formidable looking staff in her hand. A red energy gently menacingly danced around the top of it. Ike winced at the thought of magic. He had always been weak to magic, and he wasn't too sure if his guardian was resistant against that either. The fifth and final member of the group, the little girl, held a gold and blue bow in both hands, an electric blue arrow drawn and ready. Her dark brown eyes flashed defiantly.

Ike looked at each weapon, weighing their options. They could easily overpower the girl with the bow, seeing that she was rather thin. The pilots were a huge maybe, but with the right tactics, they could be beaten. What worried him most was the tall, formidable looking girl with the staff in her hands. None of them truly had the means to counter magic.

Ike's eyes traveled o the golden bow in the smallest girl's hands. He was _sur_ehe had seen that somewhere before…

But where?

A shuffling behind him told him that Nask had entered. Her sudden sharp intake of breath told him that she was extremely surprised to find this ambush. However, Ike's attention was still trained on the golden bow in the girl's hands. There was something awfully familiar about it…

_Click!_

Pikana pointed her bazooka at the girl with the staff, ready to fire at will. She and the three people with the guns gently pressed their fingers to their triggers. The tall girl's magical energy around her staff swirled even faster and grew brighter. The girl with the gold bow pointed her arrow right at Pikana, ready to fire it.

As the girl moved her bow, Ike could've sown he saw a pair of pure white wings flare up from behind her. It was at that moment realization dawned on him. _"Tell everyone not to attack! One of them is Pit's guardian!"_

Cam jumped at his words, but managed to get the words out of his mouth at the exact same time one of the pilots, the guy with blonde hair spoke in Lucario's voice. His mouth didn't move, but he lowered his gun and his eyes flashed amber. Most of the people were caught by surprise. The girl who held four guns even fired a couple of rounds into the sky on accident.

They watched with wide eyes as Lucario stepped forward and pointed to each of them in turn, naming off their Smasher. _"Meta Knight… Pikachu… Ike… Marth… Samus… and Roy…"_ He smiled. _"We meet at last…"_

A grin appeared on Pikana's face as she put down her bazooka. "A Lucario? Wow! First Pikachu and now Lucario! What's next? Jigglypuff?"

The girl with four guns burst out laughing as she sheathed them all. "Aw man! I was so ready to shoot you guys to pieces too!" She pouted. "Now who am I going to use for target practice?"

The raven haired boy grinned mischievously. "Well, you can always shoot Eric, later!"

Lucario's guardian blinked and regained his usual eye color. "Not fair! I was the target last time she practiced!"

Ike watched as Golfer shot a glare in Traca's direction. "We probably would have gotten off on a better foot if it weren't for _someone's_ clumsiness!"

Traca's eyes flared in fury. "Excuse me! It's not my fault that I can't really balance my weight as well as you! These wings make it tough!"

"_Calm down, Traca…"_ Roy urged, _"He's just in a bad mood, that's all…"_

"Bad mood! More like being a huge jerk!"

Golfer opened his mouth to retaliate, but Samus cut him off before he could form words. _"Don't. If Roy and I have to put up with your guys' bickering until we get our bodies back, I'll rip out your vocal chords as soon as I get the chance!"_

"Why? It's _her_ fault we almost got into a fight with these guys! It's _her_ fault that this whole damn forest is such a big mess! It's _her_ fault that Nask," he gestured to the girl, who was trying her best to inch away from him. "Almost died! Let's face it! She's ruining everything, just like she ruined my life _before_ this whole mess!"

Pikachu suddenly became aware of a memory clouding Pikana's mind. This memory was mostly obscured by shadow, but its meaning was clear. Two adult figures- a man and a woman- stood above a tiny group of three, screaming unheard of words back and forth. The three children- one of them Pikana's human form- huddled close together, as if trying to protect themselves from the grown ups. Pikana held the boys- the twins- close to her as the adults screamed and screamed.

"They shouldn't fight like that..." Pikana whispered, her body trembling with anger and disbelief.

Pikachu was still concentrating on the memories he saw before him. _"Pikana... what is this?"_

"..." Pikana remained quiet.

Psyche stepped forward to come between them, but a strong grip on her arm stopped her. She looked up questioningly at Heather, who only shook her head. Now was not the time to come between two people arguing.

"That was years ago!" she insisted, tears welling up, "that was years ago and I had no choice! You _knew_ the risks of going on that mission, but you went anyways! You could've just said no to going!"

"Well… well you could've asked some other sucker to go with you! You could've _told_ me that it was practically a suicide mission!"

Pikachu watched as the memory before him faded to be replaced with one of four figures sitting around the table. The man seemed to be gone, leaving only the woman and the three kids. They seemed happier as they threw back their heads and laughed. Pikachu was suddenly reminded of happier times at the Smash Mansion.

By this time, Traca was in tears. "I _did_ tell you it was a suicide mission! But you didn't listen! All you did was shrug and say that you could handle it! You… you just wanted to run out there for fame and glory and take all the credit for it! You're just like the others I worked with! I thought you were different, but you _aren't_!"

"Guys…" this was Nask. She could hear Marth biting his nails with worry. The Prince of Altea hated it when two allies fought. Often times, things did not end well.

"I wasn't the one who told the headmistress that we both were capable enough to take on the mission, even though it was meant for the Elite Hunters!"

Traca furiously wiped her tears from her cheek before answering again. "I saved your life! You owe me your life!"

"Yeah, you did save my life… only to totally ditch me later!"

"Well maybe I should've let you to die, then!" Traca shouted.

"Maybe you should've! Then I wouldn't have to live with those stupid memories and all the stupid ones later for the rest of my life!"

"Memories aren't stupid..." Pikana whispered, tears stinging her eyes, "Sometimes... it's all you have left... after everything's taken away from you..."

Pikachu watched as a sharp knock on the door jutted the family from their happy moment. At the moment the mother wrenched her head up, three figures entered the memory. All three were recognizable as the Fire Emblem Trio from their capes.

All, except Pikana herself, were shrouded in shadow.

The Pokemon watched as the first of the figures, Ike from the size of his sword, swung the blade through the air and brought it whistling down upon the mother's throat, lopping off her head in one easy swing. It flew off in a random direction, spraying blackened blood everywhere. Pikana ran off, screaming. A second figure- either Marth or Roy- grabbed one of the boys by the hair and forced him to his knees. Unsheathing his sword, he brought down through the boy's back. A flash of fire lit up the memory for the tiniest moment, but soon disappeared into the shadows.

Roy...

Finally, the third figure, Marth, grabbed the second boy by the neck and slammed his face to the ground. The shattering of the boy's nose shook the already crumbling walls of Pikana's mind. And all at once, the memory faded away again...

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fi-"

At this, Pikana absolutely lost it. Activating her chainsaw, she threw it with all her might at the arguing guardians. Both of them just barely managed to duck in time, but they were not fast enough to avoid her emotional electric attack. The other guardians backed up a bit as Pikana unleashed her electricity. The three pilots even activated what looked like anti- electrocution shields around them as they moved.

A bright yellow light filled the area, almost blinding each of the guardians in turn. Even the Smashers had to shield their eyes from such a light. Once the light faded, they saw Golfer and Traca, every part of them badly singed. Pikana was on her knees, sobs wracking her body.

Being the first to regain her senses, Nask started forward to help the poor Pokemon. But as soon as her hand brushed Pikana's fur, a small bolt of electricity shocked her and she backed off. Pikana staggered to her feet, eyes gleaming in anger and frustration.

"Don't you two hear yourselves!" she screamed between tears, "You're fighting! Fighting among yourselves! Don't you know what that _does_ to you! To us as a group! Don't you!"

"…" Golfer and Traca remained silent. Wrath shifted his weight uncomfortably as he took a step forward and placed a hand on Pikana's shoulder. If the girl noticed, she did not show it. She only continued glaring at the two.

"It breaks us up! We have to work as a team if we're ever going to beat Tabuu and if we're fighting with each other, we aren't a team! We're going to get people killed if we don't work together! I…" she wiped her nose and continued, "I lost everything because people fought against each other… I _hate_ it when a team fights! I hate it, hate it, HATE IT!"

The last two words were screamed so loudly that the leaves on the trees shook as she spoke them. An awkward silence fell between the guardians as Pikana continued to glare at the two, angry tears in her eyes.

"_Pikana…?"_ Pikachu asked concernedly, _"Are you okay…?"_

Pikana nodded. "I-I'm fine… I just want to know what _these_ _two_ have got to say for themselves…"  
Golfer and Traca looked at each other. He coughed while she shifted uncomfortably. Nether of them knew what to say.

"_Start with 'I'm sorry, Traca...'"_ Samus offered.

"I'm sorry, Traca…" Golfer began.

The girl smiled. "I'm sorry, too…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry… sorry that you ruin everything no matter what you do!"

Pikana looked absolutely shattered as the argument was rekindled. Wrath started forward to ask if she was okay, but both Mars and Eric held him back.

"_A Pikachu is dangerous when it is emotionally torn,"_ Meta Knight explained, _"You must allow her to channel her emotions if you are ever to touch her."_

"Well then I'm sorry that you're such a dickhead!"

"I'm sorry that you can't do anything right!"

"I'm sorry that I saved your life!"

"I'm sorry that you were too selfish to save it again!"

"STOP IT! JUST STOP!" Pikana shrieked. Both were silenced again.

"_Pikana…?"_ Pikachu asked.

Tears flooded down Pikana's cheeks. "Y-You're… you're going to… to destroy us all… if… if you keep fighting like this… stop… just… stop… please…"

With that, she turned tail and ran off into the woods. Her fellow guardians watched her retreating tail as she left, a strange feeling in the pits of their stomachs. The Smashers, meanwhile, worried for her safety.

"_That argument between those two was really uncalled for,"_ Pit sighed, _"If she dies, we're all doomed…"_

"_Someone needs to go after her, make sure she's safe,"_ Marth said, _"I don't like the idea of a Pikachu wandering those woods alone. Who knows what's out there now!"_

Nask nodded. "I'll go." With that, she picked up her Naginata and took off after Pikana. "Pikana! Pikana? Pikanaaaaa!"

Eric took a step back. "I… I need to go work on those ships now…" he said awkwardly before running for his toolbox.

Now it was just Mars, Aly, Wrath, Heather, Psyche, and Cameron in a half circle surrounding Golfer and Traca. All of them looked furious, especially Heather. Heather, however, was desperately fighting alongside Wolf to keep Black Heather down. It was an exhausting struggle, to be sure, but for the time being, the two were winning.

"_Those two…"_ Ike spat, _"They make me sick the way they keep fighting amongst themselves…"_

Cameron stepped forward. "What is wrong with you two! Don't you see what you're doing when you fight with each other! You're both _guardians_, Ashera dammit, _guardians_! You have to work together if we're ever going to kick Tabuu's butt around!"

"I've had enough of this," Golfer spat, "if I have to spend another moment with _her_, I'm done." With that, he stormed off to the right. In his mind, Samus couldn't keep herself from slapping her forehead.

"Fine!" Traca stormed off to the left, despite Roy's protests.

Cameron threw up his arms. "That's just great! Now we're all split up!"

"_Some should go after Traca to knock some sense into her…"_ Fox told Aly.

Aly grinned. "Extra target practice for today? Hell yeah!" She grabbed Mars by the ear and began dragging him away, despite the other pilot's struggling. She left in the direction Traca went.

As he watched them leave, Wrath picked up his sword. "I'll go after Golfer and…"

Cameron shook his head. "I don't think so… no offense, but you _are_ Tabuu's foster kid, after all…"

Wrath rolled his eyes. "Seriously, if I was really out here to kill you guys, would you all be alive right now?"

Cameron hesitated. "Well… no, but I have to admit that you aren't exactly… trustable yet… I mean, thanks for saving us and all, but…"

Wrath nodded, his expression slightly hurt. "I see… then how about someone comes with me…?"

"I'll go," Cameron offered, "I need to kick that guy's ass, anyways."

"_Save some for me while you're at it,"_ Ike told him.

"I think Psyche and I will go after Pikana," Heather decided.

"_Aw man… I wanted to go kick Golfer's ass…"_ Wolf groaned.

"_Sounds like we're in for one long discussion,"_ Pit sighed.

In spite of herself, Psyche put on a small smile for him as she followed Heather into the woods. "Look at it this way… now we can actually talk rather than argue…"

Pit sighed. _"Yeah… I guess…"_

_

* * *

_

"Come on, Beeh," a girl with purple hair whispered, tugging at her ragged red tanktop, "We have to get out of here!" She glared back at her little friend, who was petting a Shaymin as it chowed down on a few tiny dried up Oran Berries.

"But Shaymin still needs to finish her berries!" a chubby brunette answered. Her brown eyes were filled with concern for the little lost Pokemon she had found as she and her two friends escaped. Tucking her baseball bat under one arm, she stroked the Shaymin just behind the ears. The Pokemon crooned happily in response.

The tall blonde kneeling next to Beeh looked up at the sky. "…We have just a little bit more time, Lin… just enough for Shaymin to finish her berries…"

Irritation crossed Lin's face. "We need all the time we can get if we're ever going to actually escape! Let's not forget that this is _Team Rocket_ we're dealing with, Sakura! Team Rocket!"

Sakura nodded, her dirty ponytail bobbing. "I know, I know, Lin… but we have to be patient. They'll spot us if we run across the border…"

Behind her, Beeh stuck her tongue out at Lin. Lin's face turned an angry crimson, but she said nothing. They waited in silence as the Shaymin finished off the berries and smiled up at Beeh, nuzzling its head against her knee.

Sakura gently stroked the Gracidea flowers that grew on its back. Though normally pink, these lovely flowers were pulsing and swirling with color. It was a beautiful and strange thing all at once. She wondered what its Sky Form would look like if they ever got a hold of a Gracidea anywhere in this world.

Up above, three of the four released Smashers floated over the three girls. The pink cloud turned to the other two and seemed to smile.

"_Well, it looks like it's time for us to be united with our guardians!"_ Peach said cheerfully.

Red, the Pokemon Trainer, considered each girl. _"They all look like they would be nice to Poke- is that a Shaymin!"_

Olimar slapped his forehead. _"Oh boy… here we go again…"_

"_Where did they get such a rare Pokemon! In this world of all worlds! Team Rocket always makes sure to grab every rare Pokemon they can find and if they didn't get this one, maybe this means that there are still Legendaries out there! That'd be so awesome! Maybe if I can find any Pokeballs anywhere, I can capture a few and-"_

"_Red!"_ Peach shook her head. _"Remember Master Hand's rules? You only get to have three Pokemon!"_

Before Red could answer, he noticed that the girls had moved onto the main road. Peach and Olimar floated after them. Red followed not long after.

"So where are we going, Sakura?" the purple haired girl was asking.

"And can Shaymin come too?" the brunette begged, "She'll be good and I'll take care of her! Promise!"  
The blonde smiled and took both of their hands. "Yes, Shaymin may come with us…" she turned to the purple haired girl. "But as for where we're going… I'm not sure... we'll have to just wing it, I suppose…"

"Or you three little ladies can come back home with us…" a gruff voice growled. To Red's surprise, three Team Rocket grunts stepped out of the shadows. Their looked hadn't changed at all, he realized.

Typical…

The two younger girls backed behind the tall blonde, who shielded them with her body as the grunts approached. Peach and Olimar dived down at the moment they regained their senses, leaving Red as confused as ever. Once he realized they were gone, he too dived and found himself hurtling through the corridors of the purple haired girl's mind. He was spit out into a great Pokemon stadium, lights almost blinding him. Before him, he could see her biggest dream.

She wanted to be a Pokemon Master.

The grunts approached a few more steps, unhooking their Master Balls as they went. Red bit his lip in worry. Team Rocket was mass producing Master Balls? That wasn't good…

"Go, Alakazam!" the grunt nearest to them shouted, throwing his Pokeball on the ground. Red's eyes widened in fear as the feared Psychic Pokemon appeared in front of him. This was _not_ the typical Team Rocket grunt Pokemon! So they had gotten stronger…

Meanwhile, Olimar was meeting Beeh for the first time. He had introduced himself to her and she was currently trying to get over her moment of freaking out.

"_Looks like we have some trouble,"_ he observed, _"It's best that we pluck up some Pikmin!"_

Beeh blinked in confusion. "Pikmin…?"

"_Start plucking fast,"_ Olimar told her, _"That thing's coming!"_

Sure enough, the sound of the Arcanine's roar was enough for Beeh to start grabbing at the numerous leaves that randomly littered the ground. To her surprise, and the surprise of others around her, she picked up a strange little being with each leaf she picked up. It wasn't long until she had a train of six differently colored Pikmin following her. Sakura's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

The second grunt recovered his senses first. "Go, Ivysaur!" The familiar plant Pokemon leaped out of its Pokeball. But Unlike Red's Ivysaur from long ago, this one carried an air of malice with it as it crouched low to prepare itself for battle.

"_Are you sure you know what you're doing?"_ Peach asked Sakura worriedly. The two women had bonded only minutes before. But the distraction of the impending battle kept them from really introducing themselves.

"Charge, Arcanine!" the grunt ordered, "Get those girls back where they belong!"

Arcanine, dashed at the three girls, using Extreme Speed to increase its velocity. Beeh and Sakura dived out of the way, but to Peach's surprise, Lin planted her feet on the ground and reached for her belt. Wait a minute…

She didn't have a belt before…

Lin grabbed the first Pokeball on her belt and spun it expertly, similar to how Red used to do it. She threw it between her and Arcanine and out popped Squirtle, Red's Squirtle. Peach wondered how it got there if the three Pokemon hadn't been traveling with them. There was some strange magic or something at work here.

"Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Lin sounded just like Red at that moment. A closer look at her eyes showed them to be the exact shade of color as Red's. The Pokemon Trainer had taken over to protect his guardian.

Squirtle opened its mouth and out came a great blast of water. Arcanine was completely soaked, but a single order from the grunt caused it to turn around, flashing its fangs. Arcanine charged into closer for a bite attack. When Squirtle flinched in pain, it lunged at it again.

"Water Gun, Squirtle!"

Squirtle blasted more water at the Arcanine, soaking it once again. The Arcanine, though still filled with energy was almost halfway worn out. The tiny turtle Pokemon could really pack a punch.

"Arcanine, use Flamethrower!"

"Dodge, Squirtle!"

The Arcanine reared back its great head and out from its mouth came a great pillar of fire. It was fast and hot, but Squirtle was ready. It leaped into the air, just barely dodging the blast of fire. Without even waiting for an order from its master, Squirtle blasted more water at the Arcanine, reducing its fire to steam. Before Arcanine could react, _bam!_ went Squirtle's tail on its face.

"_Start throwing, Beeh!"_ Olimar ordered as the Ivysaur began advancing on the girl. Beeh picked up a Blue Pikmin and threw it with all her might. The Ivysaur batted it away easily with a vine. She threw another one, this one purple, only to have it dodged. She hated it when things like this happened. The Ivysaur beat the ground with its foot before charging off after Beeh. Beeh jumped in the air and with a small squeal of fear, she took off running before Sakura could catch her. The Shaymin followed her.

Sakura clenched her hands into fists and turned to face her attacker. He had pulled out a Hitmonlee, who was currently threatening her with its rapid kicks. Though she was nervous, she knew enough karate to give her a small chance at beating it.

It had happened so fast. One moment, the Hitmonlee was kicking its long legs at her, glaring at the girl through malicious lidless eyes. The next, it was in the air, coming down at her with a powerful high jump kick. Sakura dodged by a hair, but she wasn't prepared for the Mega Kick straight to her stomach. She knew this wasn't a fair battle, but since when did Team Rocket ever play fair?

She braced herself and grabbed the leg of the kicking Pokemon as it came at her again. With all her might, she twisted it off to one side and slammed it into the ground. The Hitmonlee's eyes widened in surprise at this strange feat, but it quickly retaliated with a swift kick to her face, drawing blood and causing her to stagger back. Her head swimming, she felt a sticky wetness falling down her forehead where the kick had connected.

Blood.

"_Sakura! Are you okay!"_ Peach asked worriedly, _"You're hurt! We have to get that cut treated and fast!"_ It was at times like these that she wished Mario could be here.

Mario…

Sakura shook her head. "I'm alright, Peach… I'm fine…"

"_You're not fine,"_ the princess told her, _"You can't fight when you're bleeding to death!"_

"I'm fine," Sakura said emphatically, side stepping to dodge a flurry of Hitmonlee's kicks. A foot connected with her jaw, sending her back again. Peach's worry grew with every hit she took. Sakura was a competent fighter, sure, but Peach could tell that she wasn't enough to defeat an entire Hitmonlee, especially with its entire arsenal of kicks.

"Charizard, use Fly!" Red yelled, pointing towards the Hitmonlee. Charizard roared in reply as it grabbed the other Pokemon by the leg and spiraled upwards with it surrounded by a tornado of fire. For a moment, the two were suspended in midair. Charizard was clawing at its eyes while Hitmonlee wore an expression that could only be described as pain. Then, Charizard grabbed it again and rocketed downwards at lightning speed, slamming the Pokemon right into the grunt that had owned the Arcanine. The two met with a great _boom!_ and out through a great cloud of smoke stepped Red's Charizard, only mildly scratched up.

Sakura's jaw dropped, while Peach only smiled. _"That's Red for you! He's so helpful!"_

"HELLLLLLLP!" Beeh shouted as she was chased around. The Ivysaur had not given up on its pursuit of her as it whipped at her legs. She kept switching back and forth with Olimar to no avail. Even the experienced Pikmin Master had some trouble. Though he knew that the Pokemon before him was weak to fire and poison, he seemed to only be picking up Purple, Blue, and Yellow Pikmin today.

Definitely not good.

Red and the third grunt were currently locked in a Pokemon battle. Red's Charizard was flaming at the Skarmory in front of it. Though type matchup said that Charizard could easily win against the steel type bird Pokemon, the Skarmory was fast, much faster than anything Red had ever seen before.

"Flamethrower, Charizard!"

"Steel Wing, Skarmory!"

Skarmory spread its sharp wings nad flew up in the air just as Charizard's Flamethrower brushed its metal feathers. It took damage, but not enough to weaken it significantly. Charizard only had seconds to react as its face was scraped against Skarmory's sword- like wings. It flew away before Charizard could flame at it.

Sakura ran over to Beeh to help her, but a Pokemon suddenly floated in front of her. It was a great black ball, with huge eyes and a menacing smile. A dark cloud of smoke trailed behind it wherever it went. Sakura's muscles froze at the sight of the thing as it appeared right in front of her and stuck out its tongue.

"G-G… GHOST!" Sakura dove into the bushes for safety and laid there, shivering. The Ghastly floated over to her, but she ran away again. Deciding that it liked this game, it started chasing the blonde around.

"Shaymin!" Beeh called as the Pokemon leaped into her arms. They had been chased around by that darned Ivysaur for a while now. Though Beeh and Olimar had plucked and thrown as many Pikmin as they could, not a single one was one they needed. Beeh had tried using her baseball bat, only to have it snapped easily in half by one powerful vine whip. It was as if this Pokemon was on steroids!

While his guardian leaned against a tree, panting, Olimar looked over her shoulder in concern. He could hear the footsteps of the Ivysaur drawing closer and closer to her. Soon enough, it would be upon them…

Beeh buried her nose in Shaymin's fur, inhaling the sweet scent of the oddly colored Gracideas. "You're okay…"

"_But we aren't!"_ Olimar pointed right in front of her where the Ivysaur was waiting, along with its trainer.

The grunt laughed as Beeh shrunk back from him. "Wow, kid, you were really some great prey… Ivysaur here actually worked up a bit of a sweat…" his gaze wandered over to the Shaymin. "Listen, kid, I don't know what you're planning to do with that Shaymin with the rainbow back, but I suggest you hand it over to Team Rocket. After all, who knows! We might actually let you and your puny little friends live…"

"You can't have her!" Beeh shouted, "I found her! and it's finders keepers, losers weepers!"

The grunt spat into the ground. "Look, kid, I don't have all day. Sure that whole thing's cute and all, but that's not how Team Rocket works. Just hand it over, and-"

Beeh hugged it closer to her chest. "No!"

The grunt's hand curled into a fist. "You are really starting to bug me, kid… Ivysaur, Frenzy Plant!"

This was it. It was one of the most powerful grass type moves in the world. It would leech out of the ground, grab onto its opponent, and squeeze the life out of it. Though normally monitored and controlled in Pokemon battles, Team Rocket had long sinced "perfected" it. It was now a guaranteed slave killing machine.

Olimar watched as Ivysaur dug its vines into the ground, summoning up the powerful vines that would spell his and his guardian's doom. There they were! Covered in green glowing light, the vines curled up from the ground and shot straight towards the young brunette. Beeh closed her eyes, ready to feel the sting of the powerful vines all over her body.

But… nothing came…

Olimar blinked in surprise. _"W-Wha-"_

"NO!" tears rolled down Beeh's cheeks as she gazed upon the horrid sight before her.

Shaymin was locked in a cage of vines, a cage that slowly closed in on it until it had wrapped fully around its body. But still the vines continued to squeeze it until its eyes popped out of its head and its face was blue. The grunt called for the Ivysaur to retract the vines, but once this attack had been initiated, it was too late to stop it. Beeh watched as the air was slowly squeezed out of the little Pokemon, unable to do a thing.

"_Throw a Pikmin!"_ Olimar cried desperately. Beeh threw, but the Pikmin only bounced off the vines and fell to the ground, where it became a ghost. With Shaymin's last breath, it looked at Beeh and smiled, closing its eyes forever.

The vines retracted. Beeh ran forward and grasped desperately at the lifeless Pokemon, but it did not move. Though she hugged it and covered its little face with kisses, its cold lips never returned them. The corpse fell from her hands and she began to weep, her tears falling gently on the now lifeless rainbow flowers upon the Shaymin's back.

As soon as the salty drops of water touched the flowers, they fell off and began to glow. A great white light filled the clearing, nearly blinding all within reach. Red and Peach, who had taken over for Sakura to ease the girl's fear of ghosts dashed into the clearing and was briefly blinded by the light. Once it faded, Shaymin's body was gone. In its place sat a small wedge, pulsing pure energy and power. It was the exact color- or colors in this case- as the flowers that once grew on the Pokemon's back.

Beeh picked up the shard and stared at it, not knowing what to say. The grunt coughed awkwardly and started backing away. The Shaymin was dead. There was no need to be here anymore.

"Where do you think you're going?" that was Beeh's voice, filled with anger and hate. His way was immediately blocked up by a whole wall of Pikmin that rose out of the ground. Beeh stood up, her eyes glowing because of the shard clutched in her hand.

"_Beeh…?"_ Olimar asked uneasily.

"You… killed… SHAYMIN!" at her words, an entire army of Pikmin appeared out of nowhere. Among the purples, blues, and yellows, there were whites and reds as well. The Pikmin of fire and poison had come at her call. Beeh glared at her foe, her eyes flaming. "Get him…"

The Pikmin assembled into great waves, each one taller and more menacing than the next. They descended upon the wicked duo, crashing onto them and giving them all the status effects possible in Pokemon. Possibly the most deadly blow was delivered by the Red Pikmin wave. Right at their touch, both master and Pokemon were set on fire, with no way to put it out. They ran from the clearing, screaming bloody murder.

It was inevitable that they would be cinders before they reached the Team Rocket Base.

Though Lin and Sakura cheered at their victory, Beeh fell to her knees, sobs wracking her body. Peach knelt down and wrapped her arms around her while Red stood off awkwardly to the side. Beeh buried her head into Peach's shoulder and let her tears soak it. Peach ran her hand through the girl's hair, trying to comfort her.

"_Shaymin…"_ Sakura whispered, biting back her own tears, _"It was… so… so…"_

Peach nodded. "So young… so pure…"

Red shifted uncomfortably. Being a male, he was not really accustomed to crying in public. Though he grieved greatly for the lost Shaymin, he didn't know how to express his feelings without making himself look like a sissy. For a moment, he pondered how to do this before looking around him.

They were floating.

* * *

Cimar shifted uncomfortably, trying to loosen his cramped muscles. He had been sitting like this for an hour already.

Why couldn't he have picked a better position?

"_Well, for starters, you can't exactly blend in with the crowd,"_ Zelda told him, answering his unasked question.

"I can blend in very easily, thanks!" Cimar retorted.

Zelda carefully eyed his still bloodstained cloak. _"… Sure, you might fit in as a beggar…"_

Cimar looked offended. "Well, excuuuuuuuuse me, Prin-"

"_Don't,"_ Zelda said flatly, _"Just don't."_

Before Cimar could answer, the great oak doors on the other side of the courtyard opened up. Making sure that he was concealed in the shadows, the young man gripped the bow he was holding even tighter now and held his breath. He only had one shot at this. If he failed, the results could be disastrous.

Or even deadly…

Zelda wrung her hands worriedly as Rinku was dragged out into the dim light of dawn. She wanted very badly to take control of Cimar right at that instant and run over to make sure Link was okay. To run her fingers through his hair and tell him that everything was alright. To caress his cheeks, stare into those powerful wolf like eyes, to feel the soft touch of his skin on her fingertips.

To taste his lips on hers…

"AH! Stop, stop, stop!" Cimar yelled, waving his hands over his head as those images filled his mind, "Aren't you aware of how messed up that is! I mean, you both have _male_ guardians! _Straight,_ _male_, guardians!"

"_There is nothing wrong with liking another male, Cimar,"_ the corners of Zelda's mouth twitched mischievously, _"You never know… you might like it…"_

Cimar took a deep breath to steady himself. "Princess… for the love of my sanity, please don't _ever_ mention that _again_!"

Shaking his head at Zelda's giggling, Cimar narrowed his eyes and concentrated on a single point above Rinku's wrist, almost exactly where the rope was wound. The boy had been dragged, struggling and bleeding, from the dungeons deep below Hyrule castle and bound and gagged to a great wooden stake in the middle of the courtyard.

He was currently being "anointed" with "holy" oil and a priest stood nearby to hear him confess his last sins. Of course, seeing that the priest was none other than the same wheezy little man from before, it didn't matter what Rinku did. A guard with a flaming torch stood nearby the great pile of wood, also soaked in oil. His attention, however, was trained upon the Usurper King upon his throne.

Rinku struggled with his bonds, though his wrists were chapped and bleeding. He had spent a horrid night in the dungeon, where rats crawled all over his body and where unseen horrors dripped from the walls. It was a freezing cold place, seeing that he had nothing more than the clothes on his own back to cover him for the night. That and the food was horrible.

It actually felt good to be in the sun again.

Even if it meant he'd see it for the last time…

Despite himself, Link had been afraid, deathly afraid, as he awaited the hour to arrive in that dungeon. True, he had braved a great many other dungeons and steadied his head in near death experiences, but this was different.

The dungeons were never as cold as the tomb itself.

"_Rinku, stop…"_ he whispered, his voice hollowed, _"It's not worth it…"_

"Urgh," his guardian grunted, "Don't sweat, Link… Zelda's somewhere in the castle, remember? And so are Ness and Kirby… but Zelda… think of her… she's not going to just sit back and let you die with me… she's a smart lady, so she'll think of something…"

Link sighed and traced circles on the ground with one finger. _"I just don't know, Rinku… I just don't know…"_

When was the last time he actually had a talk with the princess? Definitely not since they had talked about her… arranged marriage. She had only mentioned it once on yet another slow day as time passed while the Smashers were trapped in their jars. She was wondering what her father was thinking. It was the way she had said it so… so _passively_ that shocked the Hero into silence.

Zelda was a strong woman to be sure. Link had witnessed that firsthand when she had ridden upon Epona's back with him as she fired her Light Arrows at Ganondorf. He witnessed more of her strength when she presented her arguments at Royal Council meetings and things like that.

He just didn't understand.

He had always thought of her as more than an ally in war, even when he had just met her in the form of a sacred wolf. And once Ganondorf had been sent to rot in the darkest corner of the Sacred Realm for good, he thought that maybe there was something more he felt for the princess then, but then again, he used to think that he had feelings for Midna.

Used to…

He remembered that he had been hired almost immediately as Zelda's bodyguard. It took very little convincing. After all, what father _wouldn't_ want the hero of the land to protect his only daughter? Link and Zelda soon became fast friends and it was a perfectly normal thing to find the two training or reading together in the library.

That was when his heartstrings were pulled.

All his life, Link had thought that he would grow old together with Ilia. As a man growing up in the small town of Ordon, he had always thought of the princess as the woman who would rule the land when her father was too old. He had thought of her as his queen and nothing more.

A smirk appeared on Rinku's face as he read Link's thoughts. "Oh boy… do we have the tragic love story of the Hero falling in love with the woman he saves? Isn't that a bit of a… Mario and Peach rip off?"

Link jumped in surprise. _"H-Hey! Mind your own thoughts!"_

Rinku shrugged, still smiling. "Can't help it, Link! Besides, it's pretty obvious you have the hots for the princess. I mean, you guys were _everywhere_ in the history books! And all the pictures? They _never_ showed one without the other!" His smirk only widened as Link sputtered. "Oh yeah, and did I mention that there are certain… items that _prove_ that you _wanted_ her? Like… that one poem from-"

Link finally found his voice. _"W-Wait a minute… I made sure that note was kept well hidden under the one loose floorboard in my room!"_

Rinku shrugged. "I get bored easily. That and there was nothing else for me to do… my dad had locked me in that room so I couldn't go out and pull pranks on anyone… besides, I liked that poem. It was… pretty nice…"

Link said nothing. _"…"_

Sorius was making a speech up on the balcony. It was one of those boring ones announcing who all the important people were and what Rinku's crimes were. Since it did not really apply to him, Rinku kept his attention trained on the things he had seen when he read Link's thoughts. The Hero knew that his guardian had him well cornered.

"So when did that happen?" Rinku asked, blinking slightly as the sun rose higher over the horizon. It cast a golden glow that lit up his face, emphasizing his Hylian features. Hylian features, Link realized, that were now absolutely lost in nearly every other citizen of Hyrule. "When did you start thinking of her like that?"

Link paused a moment before answering. _"… It was during the battle on horseback against Ganondorf… right after Zelda got her Light Arrows…"_ Link's memories awoke at the thought, filling the young Hylians' minds with images of what happened. _"I was controlling her… and Zelda was shooting…"_ the Hero sighed. _"Something… I don't know what, but something… just connected right there when we sat together… she was shooting, but this also exposed her to all the dangers. She could've fallen off… attacked by ghosts… grabbed right off by Ganondorf… she was in danger at every turn and I was supposed to keep her safe…"_

"…" Rinku's smirk never faded, but he remained silent. He made a mental note, unseen by Link, to start plotting with Cimar or someone later.

"_I think it was when she was grazed by Ganondorf's sword,"_ Link continued, _"Around that moment where… where I stopped thinking of her as my Queen. Instead, I thought of her as the person I wanted to protect from all harm… I wanted to take her away… to keep her safe… to take her to a nice, quiet place where we could be together…"_

"Traitorous thoughts, Link," Rinku told him lightly, "Now normally, protocol says that I have to make you get on your knees and demand your head on a silver platter for stuff like that, but since I'm a bit tied up at the moment…" he gestured to the ropes around his wrists. "I'll just let it slide for now."

In spite of himself, Link chuckled. _"Typical Rinku… cracking jokes even at this time…"_

"And as Hyrule's rightful King," Sorius bellowed, "I hereby sentence Rinku of Hyrule… to death!"

A single cheer, fueled by a thousand throats, went up at his words. The guard next to Rinku, after receiving a nod from the Usurper, threw the torch upon the piles of wood. The timber caught on fire immediately and it was not long until the flames were licking the toes of the boy's boots. Rinku tried his best to prevent himself from inhaling the noxious gas, but did so anyways and coughed his lungs out.

Cimar bit his lip and brought up the bow he was holding, taking careful aim at the spot just above Rinku's wrist. If aimed right, the arrow he planned to send there would slice right through the rope, freeing the prince. If aimed wrong… well, Cimar hoped that Rinku could fight with crippled wrists.

"_Are you sure you can do this?"_ Zelda asked worriedly as Cimar drew back the bowstring.

Cimar smiled. "Yes…" His fingers began to release the bowstring…

"Hey Cimar!"

"AH!" Cimar, caught by surprise, accidentally jerked the bow upward so it aimed too high. At the same time, the arrow was released, causing it to fly through the air and lodge itself centimeters above Rinku's head. The young man tied to the stake had paled considerably when the arrows just barely missed him. Link, who had fallen over when he saw the arrow panted in surprise.

"_What was that!"_

Rinku stared at the still quivering arrow over his head. "I don't know… but someone's trying to lop off my head or something with that thing!"

"Dammit!' Cimar threw the bow on the ground in anger.

"Sorry…" Pichn said sheepishly, staring at the ground, "Uh… well…"

"What is it, Pichn?" Cimar groaned.

"Picho said that they're here," he said proudly. By now, most of the nobles were whispering among themselves, wondering where the arrow had come from. Up above, Sorius dismissed it as some idiot boy's bad archery practice. Cimar found that offensive.

"Good… send them in…" Cimar grabbed onto the nearest tapestry, one that was blood red with a gold lion on it. Pichn's eyes widened in surprise as he watched Cimar get up on top of the balcony railing.

"What are you doing!" he asked in disbelief.

Cimar gave him a look. "What does it look like I'm doing? I need to go save Princess Zelda's boyfriend." With that, he leaped off and sailed over the crowd.

"_He is __**not**__ my boyfriend!"_ Zelda answered reproachfully.

Pichn watched in awe as Cimar swung high over everyone's heads, his sword deflecting all the pathetic blows the guards tried to score on him. As he neared the stake, Pichn saw his eyes flicker from his usual blue to Zelda's sapphire blue. Rinku, gaping open mouthed at this spectacle, also changed his eye color suddenly, to be replaced by Link's piercing sky blue.

Realizing that he still had a job to do, Pichn cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs. "HEY BRO! SEND THEM IN!"

"_And bring me some food!"_ Kirby added, though he knew he wouldn't be heard.

"Hey Kirby, wanna swing?" Pichn asked eagerly, grabbing onto an emerald green banner with a silver snake on it.

"_YEAH!"_

Pichn swung his short legs upon the banner and struck it with Kirby's sword. "YAAAAAAAHOOOOOOO!"

At that moment, Picho burned down the door with Ness's PK Fire. All was chaos now as the Knights of Courage charged in to attack their foes. The nobles ran to and fro, stepping in blood as they ran. Some lost their heads. Others managed to slip away. Still others were simply consumed by the oncoming mass.

In the middle of it all, the two boys reunited and eagerly put together their powers to help. PK Fire combined with Kirby's sucking ability created a devastating combo as Pichn would create a great vacuum effect to suck the enemies into Picho's attacking zone so that they were easily dispatched by Picho's PK Fire and PK Thunder attacks. And the best part was, Kirby had plenty to eat as Pichn occasionally sucked up a helmet or something on accident.

"Link!" Zelda shouted as she dashed through the wall of flames to meet him. She was glad not to have a skirt on. Link's face lit up as he saw the princess approach. This happiness was soon replaced with fear, mixed in with worry.

"Zelda, what are you doing here!" he demanded as he noticed how her guardian's boots were already pretty scorched. Zelda took out Cimar's sword and brought it down with all her might upon Link's bonds.

"What does it look like?" she asked, sheathing it, "I'm saving you."

The Hero sighed with relief as his wrists were freed. Though they were chapped and bruised, they would heal by tomorrow. Together, he and Zelda leaped off the giant bonfire just as the wooden stake was engulfed in flames.

Link landed on the floor, Zelda on top of him. Both were covered in blood as it was splattered all over the place. The entire courtyard was in complete chaos as more and more blood was spilled. But though the sound of clashing swords nearly deafened them, the Hero and Princess did not care. All that mattered was that they were here.

Together…

"You're… safe…" Zelda panted, a smile lighting up her face.

"Yeah…" Link breathed. His left hand moved automatically to caress her face, relish the feeling of her soft skin upon his own…

"_GUYS!"_ Rinku shouted, kicking at Link's mind.

"_WE ARE NOT GAY!" _Cimar growled angrily. He kicked at a few books in Zelda's mind, watching as the pages fluttered to a picture of Link framed in a heart.

Of course…

Realizing what they were doing, the two Hylians immediately got off each other, their faces beet red. They were _so_ embarrassed, in fact, that they happily allowed their guardians to take over the fighting for now. The two young men, faces still flushed, looked around to make sure no one noticed. Luckily, no one did…

…except for two little boys…

Cimar's jaw dropped in shock as Pichn doubled over laughing, a camera in his hands. Picho, on the other hand, was rolling on the floor, clutching at his ribs. And yet, the chaos around the four never ceased.

"H-Holy… Farore!" Picho choked, "I _knew_ you two were close, but not _that_ close!" He never stopped laughing. "Wait 'til I tell all the other guardians that you two are _gay!_"

"We are _not_ gay!" the two guardians yelled at the same time.

"Suuuure…" Picho snickered.

"What… who… Pichn, where did you get that camera!" Cimar demanded

"Where else? I stole it," Pichn said this as if it were obvious, "Besides, the guy's dead anyways so he won't miss it…"

"Kinda dead…?" Cimar groaned, slapping his forehead.

"Look on the bright side!" Picho said cheerfully, "Now you two can go public with your relationship with no worries that people will shun you, and-"

"That's it," Rinku growled, "C'mere and let me wring your neck you little son of a-"

"CIMAR AND RINKU ARE GAAAAYYYYY!" Picho shouted obnoxiously before dashing off. Still angered, Rinku took off after the boy, not caring that there were people getting killed all around him. Meanwhile, Cimar had chosen to chase Pichn since he was the one with the camera.

"Come back here so I can castrate you!" Rinku shouted fiercely, grabbing at Picho's shirt collar.

"Gaaaayyyyy…" Picho cackled evilly and leaped nimbly over each corpse that got in his way. Rinku, being bigger than he was, had a bit more trouble doing that.

The two boys led the two older ones around the entire courtyard for one circuit before tripping after blowing a raspberry at the two over their shoulders. Rinku grabbed Picho while Cimar grabbed Pichn. Without another word, Pichn placed the camera in Cimar's open palm and smiled sheepishly. Cimar's sharp glare told him that he wasn't completely forgiven yet.

"So… what now…?" Picho asked, struggling slightly in Rinku's grip.

"How's about you four bow down before me… and swear your allegiance…" said a voice behind them.

The Usurper was approaching.

* * *

He was floating…

Bobbing…

Riding…

Toon Link couldn't remember the last time he was at sea. It was certainly way before Tabuu had decided to attack them again. Definitely before the blue man had taken their souls just like that and stuffed them in jars.

The first time that his older self had been to sea.

It was a strange thing to hear, to be sure. Though Link had been to Lake Hylia, the Hylian had never truly been at sea. Not even when he visited the Lakebed Temple was he truly at sea. Toon Link remembered it as one of the most exciting and scariest adventure of his older self's life.

And he had loved it.

Toon knew the sea very well. He knew it so well, in fact, that he didn't need his guardian to be awake to know that he was currently bobbing about in the sea, his life preserved by a single piece of driftwood.

Oh yeah, and his guardian was unconscious.

It had happened so suddenly as well. From what he could tell from looking at the young man's memories, he was once the captain of a great ship. But that ship captured a young girl and the cabin boy had betrayed him to save the girl. Somehow, the ship had blown up after the boy yelled "This is Sparta!" Toony had the vaguest feeling that Snake somehow played a role in all of this.

"Mah, check this out…" a voice above him whispered. It was the voice of a young boy, yet tainted with the sounds of a boy who had witnessed a lot of bloodshed in his life.

"Oh! Ridere, it's Squall!" that was a pure female's voice. Though tainted with the memory of bloodshed as well, this sounded more pure than the boy's. Toon Link liked the sound of her voice…

"Squall?" that word was spat out like it was poison. "Then we should just leave him where he is… that guy caused enough trouble already…"

Toony could almost feel the girl shaking her head. "That won't be right, Ridere… I mean, I know he's mean…"

"And gross… and lazy… and smelly," Ridere added.

"… Right… he's still a human like us… besides… Yoshi thinks that he might be more than what he seems…"

"That dinosaur better have good judgment…" the boy grumbled.

Ridere grabbed a net from the back of the little boat and threw it over Squall, reeling him in. Meanwhile, Mah made sure that there was enough rations for the three of them to make it safely to the mainland. Yoshi observed Squall with intense eyes, unsure of why he felt so much energy radiating from him that he did not feel before.

But his attention was soon ripped away from Squall as three streaks lit up the night sky. _"Mah, look!"_

Mah looked up just in time to see the first of the three, a rather small yellow one with bits of black in it bounce happily among the clouds. Another one, this one brilliant blue with a little bit of red at the head zoomed across her path. She could almost hear the words "Falcon PAWNCH!" as it passed. The third and final one was forest green. It was about the size of the yellow one that had just passed. It seemed to turn cartwheels in the air before dashing off after its friends.

"Wow…" Mah whispered as she watched them all go.

Ridere, who had been watching as well smiled. "So… three more…"

"_Tabuu's time is almost up,"_ Snake said happily, _"Soon, our world will be saved…"_

_

* * *

_

**I am exhausted! Whew!**

**Well, I'm leaving on a trip to Vegas, so I might not be able to write much… then again, I'm too young to gamble or get rolling drunk, so _maybe_ I'll get the chance to write! (if my mom doesn't drag me along on her shopping trips… *shudders*)**

**Once again, thanks to SBJ and Wrath Draconian for everything they've done for Guardians.**

**Don't forget about the website! Visit it if you forgot what happened in this chapter and are too lazy to look back! XP **

**Now if you'll all excuse me, it's nearly midnight here. This chapter was finished at 27 pages at exactly 11:59:45. Yay!**


	16. Joe, Sam, and Chester

The Racer, the Hero, and the Pokemon

**Welcome one and all! As you can probably tell from the title, I am right now rereading the entire Narnia series. =) **

**Disclaimer: I hold no claim to the Brothers of Smash. For if thou should sue me, I shall have thy head!

* * *

**

Cimar and Rinku braced themselves as Sorius approached. The bigger man's eyes flashed menacingly as he walked closer and closer to the two young men. Picho and Pichn, meanwhile, stared defiantly with just a hint of humor in their eyes.

"You boys think you're so smart, don't you?" the Usurper snarled, unsheathing his black sword as he walked, "So… very… clever…"

"Well, I wouldn't really say _all_ of us," Picho said cheerfully.

"Yeah, I mean, have you gotten a good look at these guys?" Pichn asked, "They're gay."

"WE'RE NOT GAY!"

"_They're gaaaaayyyy…"_ Ness laughed, _"Link and Zelda got gay guardians!"_

"_What does 'gay' mean?"_ Kirby asked.

Pichn grinned deviously. "Well Kirby, when a man and… a man love each other _very_ much…"

"Oh, just shut up, will you?" Rinku snapped. In response, Pichn snickered.

Sorius chuckled at the remark, his heavy black boots stopping only inches away from Cimar himself. The young man was tempted to spit in the villain's face, but it was Princess Zelda's dignity in him that held him back. He could only glower.

Sorius's eyes traveled over the small group before him, ignoring the chaos that surrounded them all. His eyes lingered particularly on Rinku's and Cimar's hands and they widened, though there seemed to be nothing on them. His lips, once holding a playfully villainous smirk, curled up into a snarl.

"So… did you two _really_ think you could hide your disgusting little secret from _me_! The rightful King of Hyrule?" his cold laugh ripped through the air, causing all of the fighters in the room to shiver slightly and almost drop their swords. "Well, I have found you out! No secrets can be kept from the King of Hyrule, who rules by the will of the Three Goddesses!"

"Ruled by the will of the Three Goddesses my foot," Cimar retorted, "We keep no secrets from you, you murderer!"

"That's right!" Pichn agreed, "Besides, if we told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore."

"Murderer, you call me?" Sorius tightened and loosened his grip on his sword. "You call me a murderer, boy, when it was _you_ who killed those nobles in cold blood? You, Cimar of Turalis or should I say…_Zelda of Hyrule!_"

Zelda's anger flooded Cimar's mind and body to the point where his vision was almost red. She could feel Din's Fire dancing at his fingertips, the rush of Farore's Wind in his ears, and the gentle pulse of Naryu's love around him. At once, it was tempting, oh so _tempting_ to murder her father's murderer right there and then.

But she had too much blood on her hands already…

Link noticed something seeming to pulse from under Cimar's right glove. It flickered with golden light for a moment before disappearing. No one except him noticed that.

But Rinku _did_ notice the pulsing under his left glove…

"_What the heck!"_ Link asked. He had felt this pulsing before. It was back when he had his body, wherein lied the Triforce of Courage, the power he most believed in. He had not seen the thing since his last tournament battle and even then that was a long, very long, time ago.

Back when he could actually talk to Zelda…

Link noticed that the evil glare in the villain's eyes never faded as he watched the Triforce of Wisdom show itself on top of Cimar's palm. It didn't take long for him to notice the Triforce of Courage glowing gently on Rinku's hand as well. His snarl curled into a sneer.

"Don't think I know who you two are," he growled, "You two," he pointed to Cimar and Rinku respectively, "Are that meddling Princess and so called 'Hero of Hyrule'. Well, know this _Hero_! The people lost faith in you long ago… you are a legend now, a _myth_! Your power is nothing compared to mine! Lord Tabuu has granted it!"

That new piece of information took Link by surprise. Tabuu had a hand in this madness? Then again, he realized, the blue man had had a hundred years to spread his influence…

"_We have to settle this here and now,"_ he told Rinku, _"if this keeps going on, more lives will be lost."_ He gestured around him, where the blood of both sides flowed freely from gaping wounds. _"And… and I know Princess Zelda and I no longer wish to be responsible for more blood loss…"_

"So… shall we settle this here and now, boys?" Sorius laughed, swinging his sword experimentally, "Choose among yourselves now… who shall stay and be hacked to pieces by me? And… who shall run away like a coward and allow me to enjoy hunting you down like prey?"

"Cimar," Rinku whispered, "Take the twins and get the Hell out of here. I'll hold him back as well as I can, and-"

Zelda was taken aback. In her day, it was always the royals who left while the commoners and guards fought. Then again, this was a new age. And with a new age came great changes.

She watched as Cimar's face twisted from anger, to confusion, to utter disbelief. "But you're outmatched! No way, I'm not letting you stay here and get chopped to pieces! We can stay here and tag team him while Picho and Pichn-"

Ness was not the kind of person to run away while his allies, no, his _friends_ stayed behind and fight. Like Ike, he fought for his friends and he wasn't about to turn his back on them now. His argument with Kirby became a thing of the pass as he slammed his hand on a surface in his guardian's mind, his eyes flashing determinedly.

"_No way! I'm not letting Link and Zelda get all the fun!"_

"That's right, Ness," Picho agreed, "Why should you and Cimar get all the fun, Rinku? When you guys die, how are Pichn and I supposed to make your lives Hell with random gay jokes?"

"_I'm just here for the food,"_ Kirby admitted sheepishly.

Pichn licked his lips. "Yeah… I could go for a good sandwich right now…"

"_They… they can't stay…"_ Link said quietly, despite his surge of happiness at the three others' valiance, _"They need to get out of here… save their own lives… the others __**need**__ them…"_

Rinku shifted uncomfortably. "Link, I know you don't want them here, but… once those three set their minds on something, there's no going back for them… it's either we let them fight or… or go down trying to protect them…"

Link hesitated. _"The life of a Hero is lonely…"_

"Yours may be lonely, but it doesn't have to be," Rinku turned to Sorius, unsheathing his sword in one smooth flourish, "Have at it! You against the four of us!"

Sorius's sneer widened. "All the more fun to savor the kill!" With that, he lunged forward, swinging his blade above his head.

Zelda's heart pounded in fear as she realized that the blade was headed right towards Cimar. The young man was just barely able to roll out of the way, but accidentally rammed his shoulder into Rinku. The other Hylian fell to the ground with an "Oomph!", scattering a large number of corpses that littered the floor.

"PK FIRE!" Picho yelled. The powerful flames of the psychic born fire blasted out of his fingertips. The heat filled the air, setting all within its reach on fire. It soon erupted into a pillar of flame as it made contact with their foe. To their surprise, he waved his great hand and out of thin air came a deep purple portal of some kind. It swallowed the fire as easily as one would swallow up a piece of food.

Ness blinked in surprise. _"No way!"_

Before Picho could answer, another purple portal had appeared behind him. With no time to react, the boy was submitted to his own blast of fire. An agonized scream was ripped from his throat, but the pain soon subsided. Taken by surprise again, Ness almost fainted in his guardian's mind. Meanwhile, Pichn just burped.

"Hm… could've used a bit more salt," he remarked.

"_Blech!"_ Kirby garbled some water before speaking. _"Don't eat fire again! Next time, eat some cake or something!"_

Rinku leaped over fallen bodies as he rushed his father, his mouth pulled back into a snarl. He noticed Cimar already locking blades with the Usurper King, but the young man was soon thrown back with a sweeping kick at his feet. His head made contact with the floor, opening up a wound he did not know he had.

"_T-That… cheater!"_ Zelda screamed, _"kicking is not how an honorable swordsman… or knight fights!"_

Cimar gently pressed his fingers to the back of his head, horrified at all the blood. "U-Unfortunately, Princess… this isn't… an honorable fight…"

Sorius saw his son approach at the moment his foot connected with Cimar's legs. Smiling maliciously, he brought up his left fist and jammed it into the boy's jaw as he leaped up for a jump attack. A purple flame flared up from his fist as Rinku's face contorted in pain. Link, almost torn in half with pain, screamed in agony for his guardian when they slammed headlong into a great stone pillar. Moaning, Rinku reached up and touched his forehead.

Blood…

"_That was… a Warlock Punch…"_ Link said in disbelief. _"But…" _He shook his head. Back when Rinku was getting punched, he could've sworn that he saw… but no… it couldn't be…

It was impossible…

Rinku winced as he was forced to move his jaw to speak. "Ow… G-Ganondork… h-he had d-diaries… f-found them… library… D-Dad… study…"

In a flash, Cimar was at their side, his face a mess of hair and blood. A sickening crunch could be heard as the young man's back was slammed against the pillar, but he soon slid off, blood trickling down his face. Judging from his deep, shaky breaths, he had received a particularly powerful blow in the stomach.

"H-He…" Cimar's breath was shuddering, "U-Use… f-fo-for… forbidden magic… Ganon's… d-diaries…"

"_Another nutcase who worships Ganondorf as a god!"_ Zelda slapped her forehead. _"And I thought Zant was weird enough…"_

"PK THUNDER!"

"HYAH!"

"PK FROST!"

"Uh… HYAH!"

"PK FIRE!"

"Why does _he_ get all the cool stuff to yell!"

Kirby stared in disbelief at the blood being shed for this battle. If it wasn't already bad enough that the kitchen had been blown up somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, the Knights of Power and Courage were now standing in a silent circle, staring at the fight between Sorius and the four guardians.

Picho, he noticed, was holding his own pretty well with Ness's psychic powers, despite being unable to land a single hit on their enemy. Pichn, meanwhile, was doing quite fine with using the puffball's sucking powers to the best advantage. At that moment, he sucked up a sword and gained Link's hat and a sword to use...

"_My copy powers!"_ Kirby exclaimed happily.

Rinku leaned heavily on the wall as he and Cimar hoisted themselves up. Link analyzed the situation. With Sorius using the forbidden magic that Ganondorf had killed millions to learn, it would take a new tactic from the two to get the better of the Usurper.

"I'm going in, back me up!" Rinku yelled as he picked up his sword and rushed in again. Link noticed that the weapon now weighed a ton in the young man's hands, even though he wielded it with both hands.

Cimar ran swiftly in the direction Rinku indicated, just as the other guardian reached the Usurper. Distracted by the blasts of fire, thunder, and ice coming at him, their foe did not get a chance to react when two sharp stings whipped at his face, one right after the other. Bent on revenge for the two people who dared hurt him in that way, he swung his sword over his head and swung it in a swift chop. He just barely grazed the two men's cheeks, but he left a deep cut all the same.

Picho saw his chance. "PK THUNDER!"

Pichn, being too short to reach that high, leaped on top of his brother's head and used it as a footstool to push himself up into the air. He batted the ball of thunder right at their foe's face. Electricity crackled all around him as the ball hit its mark.

Pichn smirked. "Home run!"

"_Ten points!"_ Kirby added. Pichn rolled his eyes. There was no time for bad jokes right now.

Ness could see the rage in Sorius's eyes as the electric sparks stopped dancing around him. Ignoring Rinku's and Cimar's slightly crumpled forms from one of his powerful kicks, he gripped his sword all the more tighter and made his way over to Picho, who was still recovering from using up so much PSI powers in a short amount of time.

Ness's breath quickened as their enemy raised his great sword over his head and pointed it straight at the boy before him. Picho's eyes widened in terror and with no other choice, he tapped into Ness's powers and out from his very fingertips an energy shield burst forth.

It was a large purple sphere that pulsed with pure energy, with the ability to absorb all projectiles and heal Ness in an instant. Sorius's sword point slammed into the shield, just above Picho's shoulder.

A tiny crack appeared.

Ness felt the boy tighten his muscles as the sword hit as it was now a great effort for him to keep up the shield. The harder the sword pressed in, the bigger the crack grew. Ness watched in horror as sweat poured down like a waterfall down the boy's face. Rinku and Cimar were still too weak to move. Pichn was trying to hold his own against the powerful magical attacks being sent right at him by Sorius's free hand.

"_Picho, hold on!"_ Ness begged, _"Just give Cimar and Rinku a little more time…"_ Picho's knees shook with effort as he gave one final heave of his energy…

_Crack!_

The sword pierced the barrier, lodging itself like a bullet into the shoulder of the boy. Picho howled in pain as the sound of splintering bone and ripping muscle and sinews tore through the air. He collapsed to his knees, blood gushing out in torrents. All around him, four voices screamed his name all at once…

"PICHO!"

* * *

_Splash!_

She dunked her paws under the water, grabbing fistfuls of the clear liquid before splashing it on her face. This water, once fresh and pure, was then tainted by the salty tears that ran down the little girl's cheeks. Anger and frustration raged within her, creating a whole storm of emotional hurt and hate. In her mind, a certain mouse Pokemon tried his best to comfort her.

But to no avail…

"_Pikana__…__"_ Pikachu whispered, _"It's alright__…__ those two deserved it back there__…__"_

Pikana wiped her nose on a leaf. "H-Hate… fighting… t-teammies…"

"_I know__…__ I know__…__"_ Pikachu told her sincerely, _"I do too__…__ back when I was running wild around __Viridian__Forest__, I was part of a team too__…__"_

Pikana brushed her hair away from her raw red eyes. "W-What happened?"

Pikachu sighed, his memories flitting around him in the form of darkened shadows. _"It was in the days of Team Rocket__…__ as in when they were just starting out__…__ before Giovanni was beat up by Red__…__ I was a part of a Pokemon Rescue Team__…__ my teammates were a Bulbasaur and a Tyrogue__…__"_

Pikana found herself staring at a wide open blue sky. Sure enough, the three Pokemon Pikachu mentioned were all standing at a fissure, helping a group of Azurill out of it. Pikachu's voice narrated the movie.

"_We were helping out a few Azurill when Team Rocket came and grabbed us__…__ all of us__…__"_ A few dark shadows, human sized shadows, passed over the little group before the whole world turned black. When light came again, all that could be seen was the wasteland that was now the Viridan Forest. _"I don't know what happened back there, but__…__ I remember I was angry so I did the one thing I could do__…__ I fought__…__ and I escaped__…__" _Here, Pikachu let out a small sob. _"I wanted to take my teammates with me__…__ but they wouldn't go__…__ I don't know if they were brainwashed or something while we were captured, but__…__ I had to fight them to get out__…__ I ran away__…__ and my teammates were fainted at my feet__…__"_ Pikachu bowed his head, his little yellow body shaking as he remembered his dark past.

"But didn't you ever try to get them back?" Pikana asked him.

Pikachu shook his head. _"I never got the chance__…__ no matter how hard I tried__…__ the defenses around Team Rocket were too powerful__…__ I was only one Pokemon__…__ they had a million__…__"_

Pikana kicked at the dirt. "Well… if we ever get to see the Pokemon world… I'll help you get your teammies back…"

Pikachu blinked. _"Pikana__…__"_

"You shouldn't be looking that way over your past just because you couldn't get your teammies back," Pikana explained, "And you shouldn't just let go of the chance for a better future… after all, Tabuu's going down and… and then we all go our separate ways after that…"

"_So__…__"_

"So what I'm saying is…" Pikana's cheeks turned pink, "That I like having you around, Pikachu… and I don't know what it'll be like once you're gone… that I'd like to hang out a bit more with ya, if that's okay…"

Pikachu smiled. _"Thanks__…__ Pika-"_

"PIKANAAAAA!"

The little Pokemon's ears pricked up at the sound of her name. On the other side of the pond, some leaves rustled as a human parted them out of the way. Ten slim, dirty fingers created a small hole and an all too familiar face peeked out. It was the young brown haired girl, the one holding Pit's bow. Sure enough, as she stepped into the clearing, Pikachu could see the bow slung over her back.

Psyche smiled when she saw the Guardian of Pikachu on the other side of the pond. Cupping her hands over her mouth, she called out to Nask and Heather, who came crashing through the foliage only seconds after she called. Well, Heather came crashing through. Nask sauntered in, obviously just waking up from a nap.

"_Doesn't she ever stop napping?"_ Pit asked.

Psyche shrugged. "Doesn't look like it…"

Nask walked up to Pikana, whose eyes were still red from crying. Placing an arm around her, she pulled the little Pokemon into a hug.

"Are you alright, Pikana?" Heather asked as she came over to join them. Pikana had buried her face into Nask's arms and wouldn't stop crying. Psyche remained at a safe distance, too scared to venture close in case Pikana let out a thundershock attack on accident. For once, Pit didn't blame her.

"_Smart move__…__"_ he murmured unconsciously, as if he was talking to one of his smarter soldiers.

"Huh?"

Pit was quick to cover up his mistake. _"N-Nothing! Just__…__ just try not to ruin this moment the way you ruin the other ones, okay?"_

"What other ones?"

"_Just__…__ just don't do anything,"_ Pit huffed. Ever since the incident with the kiss, he had been unable to get that image out of his head. It was strange how protective... no, how _jealous_ he felt when he saw that image. He had been tempted to leap out right there and then and hack the boy to shreds.

He couldn't stand to see his guardian with another male…

"What happened back there?" Psyche asked, maintaining her distance. Pit pushed aside his confused thoughts and cocked his head curiously to one side.

Pikana turned her head to look at her, her face still stained with tears. "Oh… it's just that… I don't like teammies fighting with each other… not since… since" She shook her head. "I… I don't wanna talk about it right now…"

Pikana suddenly felt gentle fingers brush against her sensitive fur. She, along with Psyche and Nask looked to see Heather absent-absentmindedly stroking Pikana, her eyes solemnly gazed down to the ground.

"...I was 10 years old..."

Wolf suddenly paid attention as he saw himself inside what looked to be a mansion. Not the Smash Mansion, but a mansion nonetheless. In the mansion, from what he could tell an entire family were around the mansion. There were several young adult women and men in their late 20s-early 30s talking and drinking alcohol, laughing. There was an old man and woman talking with a young 12 year old. Two 40 year old women look to be serving drinks out at the bar.

Then he saw a 10 year old girl sitting on the lap of a young man in his mid 30s. He laughed along with the 10 year old Heather as the two played together.

"My family were rebels...we rebelled against Tabuu even after the fall of the Super Smash Brothers. My father, Mark Wolfon found a hidden mansion in a forest deep in the western corner of Smashville for my family to hide from Tabuu. From there, my family would constantly go on missions to help and protect those who suffered from Tabuu in Smashville. They planned on eventually forming a massive army to rebel against Tabuu in a great war. Apart from that, we lived a mostly normal, palpable life..." Heather's hand slipped of Pikana's fur as it suddenly became clenched tightly.

"...until one of our own betrayed us."

The memory changed to that of the doors of the mansion suddenly being burst open.

"Holy shit..." Wolf swore as he saw not one, not two, but ALL 35 smashers crash through the doors of the mansion. Out of the crowd of corrupted smashers came the same man that he had seen in the memory of Heather's assassination attempt, Clark Wolfon, with a massive smirk on his face.

Wolf's eyes widened in horror as he saw all the Wolfons get bashed up and taken down. To his even greater utmost horror, he watched as Heather faced a brutal Aura Beam get thrown at her from Lucario, only for her father, Mark Wolfon to step right in front of Heather and take the blow instead.

"My uncle, Clark Wolfon betrayed my family to Tabuu...because I and my older sister Kate were too young to have committed crimes, we were not given capital punishment. Instead, we were forced to serve in The Subspace Army...and forced to watch every Wolfon executed in front of us, one by one, over 9 years...as a recurring warning to us from Tabuu personally should we ever step out of line."

The memory switched again as a young Heather and her older sister were given Subspace army uniforms to wear. Then it changed to them being forced to do track courses, sword fight and kill their opponents, get whip lashed when they went out of line and punished by being forced to starve or get thrown into the woods. They were even set to be used for target practice and attacked by dogs.

Further more...he saw as Heather and her sister grew older...and her family got rooted and destroyed, with Tabuu and Clark whispering in her ears their cold, deathly threats which sent very chills down Wolf's spine.

"It wasn't before long before I lost the final member of my family, my older sister, in a mission we were sent on when I was 19 years old..."

Wolf then watched as Heather's older sister was stabbed in the stomach by a rebel fighter. This was followed by the rebel slicing the older sister in half. Heather screamed in all crying rage and unmercifully decapitated the man who murdered her older sister. Suddenly, Wolf saw a man with two swords rushing towards Heather.

_"!"_

SHING! SLASH!

Wolf howled along with Heather's cry of pain upon seeing her lose both her right arm and half her right leg...

"The day that Clark betrayed us...I lost everything...my father, my mother, my uncles, my aunts, my cousins, my grandparents, my sister...and my sanity."

As Wolf saw a bloodied Heather lie there awaiting death, he suddenly felt that horrific seething rage that he felt in Heather sting his body. Heather's teeth were gritted, covered in blood as blood stained tears rolled down her cheeks.

Heather's agonising cry of rage was the last thing he heard before the memory went black...

Wolf was not the sensitive guy. He admitted he was going a little soft now 'cause of the circumstances, but he was not that sensitive about others...

...and he had been the same about Heather until this very day.

How he felt like such an idiot for not seeing why Heather was who she really was. Why she was so intensely selfless...

"I swore to myself and only to myself on that day...that I would never, ever let anyone lost what I did to Tabuu...or evil for that matter ever again and that forever, I would bring justice to those who had suffered and lost what I had to him and to evil all together, as well as bringing justice for my own family...and even...myself..." Heather's eyes fought back the tears. The tears going inside of her eyes instead of coming out of them felt like steaming hot water.

However, Wolf instead cried out the tears that Heather refused not to do. He was the one who let the tears fall for Heather and make the mournful howls for her.

Nask cleared her throat. "I… I don't know if my story is nearly as sad as yours, Heather… or Pikana's for that matter, but… but it's time that everyone knows…"

"_You mean__…__ that your brother__…__?"_ Marth asked.

Nask nodded. "I remember it so well… little Ridere and I used to only have each other… when Mom died giving birth to him, Dad ignored us more than ever… oh sure, he used to ignore us a lot, but it juts got worse after we lost Mom… I used to want to be a Pegasus Knight, then a Wyvern Knight, but had to stop studying to take care of Ridere…"

Just like Wolf saw Heather's memories, Marth got little insight into Nask's. He watched as a very young girl with long red hair sat happily on a brick wall, watching Pegasus Knights soar on by. But he soon noticed that the girl took no interest at all in the feathered fliers.

Instead, she was staring at one particular knight as she landed her Pegasus next to an official looking knight and handed him a glowing rainbow whip. The knight nodded once at her before going inside and dragging out a great dragon, its great tail lashing to and fro in the morning light. He could almost feel Nask's excitement as the woman mounted the great dragon and took off. He watched as young Nask leaped off the wall and started chasing the wyvern, her laughter ringing through the air.

The scene shifted to one of an older Nask, grasping a little baby boy in her arms as they stood by a gravestone. The sky was dark, rain fell in torrents. But it was the drops of salt water on Nask's face that touched him the most. They fell into the ground and disappeared as she turned away and ran off with the baby as if she could no longer bear standing there.

"Then… Dad got involved with some… not very good people… he made a deal with them and broke it… so they took revenge…"

Nask and a young boy- possibly Ridere- sat in a library. Ridere was reading a book on pranks while Nask studied a book of Elysian Whips. Suddenly, the breaking of glass could be heard as an arrow, coated in fire soared through the window and lodged itself into the boy's leg. Ridere screamed in pain while his sister tried desperately to avoid the rain of arrows to get to him. But almost as quickly as the arrow had come, a strong arm had wrapped around Nask and she was dragged away. The siblings still screamed each other's name as they were torn away from each other. Nask to lands unknown and Ridere to die.

"And then… he was gone…" Nask's voice faltered there. The group was cast in a solemn silence, unable to know what to say. Pit found this silence slightly awkward.

"_Uh__…__ hey, aren't you supposed to share a bit about yourself, too?"_ he asked casually.

Psyche blinked. "… I don't know… I don't know who my parents are…"

"_Don't you, you know, at least know a little bit about them?"_

She shook her head. "All I remember is… is growing up alongside… _him_… he was like a brother to me… and now he's gone…" tears began rolling down her cheeks. "He's gone forever…"

"_Don't start crying!"_ Pit begged, _"I__…__ I **hate** it when you cry!"_ It shocked him to discover he was actually telling the truth.

Man, what was up with him?

"Well… all I know is…" Psyche gulped, "Is that… my parents died of a disease when I was a baby… so one of the slaves took me in and… raised me…then-"

_Rat- tat- tat- tat- tat!_

She knew that sound. It was the sound of a machine gun being fired off somewhere. Though there was every possibility that Aly was just fooling around again, she couldn't take the risk. Psyche picked up Pit's bow and started for a clump of bushes.

Heather noticed her leaving and made a move to go help her, but Wolf shook his head. _"That girl has to learn to take care of herself__…__ sorry Heather, but you can't keep babying the kid forever, you know."_

Heather bit her lip as his words. "But… what if she-"

Wolf waved her worries aside. _"She's Pit's guardian. If anything, he's going to use those cheap wings of his to escape if those two run into any danger neither of them can handle."_

Nask watched the girl's retreating back. "Heather, shouldn't we-" Pikana, with her raw red eyes, was now blinded by her tears. She couldn't fight.

Heather hesitated a moment before answering. "Well… Wolf said that if she runs into trouble, Pit can fly out of there…"

Nask raised an eyebrow. "Alright then…"

"_Uh__…__ there's one problem with that__…__"_ Marth said nervously.

"What's that, Marth?"

"_She doesn't **have** wings!"_

_

* * *

_

_Wham!_

"I don't think you hit him hard enough, Mah," Ridere told her, giving Squall's shoulders a vigorous shake. The two had been trying to wake him up since they had found him only a few hours ago. The dark circles under their eyes showed how they had deprived themselves of sleep in case the boy should wake up and attack.

Never trust a pirate.

Toon Link struggled to wake up his guardian, wondering just what was going on out there. Despite Squall's senses being completely shut off, he could just faintly feel a warm, grainy substance on his back.

Sand…

"_Hey, if you can here me… WAKE THE HECK UP ALREADY!"_

_Slap!_

"OW! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP THAT!" Squall screamed suddenly, shooting up and kicking sand into Ridere's face. While the boy angrily spat out grains of sand, the former captain looked around. Toon Link took in the white sand, the debris, the darkened skies, and the woods nearby. In the distance, he noticed some distinct marks on the trees. Scorch marks, perhaps?

Mah sighed in relief. "He's awake… and here I thought we lost him!"

"_I still say it would've been better if he drowned,"_ Yoshi sniffed. The dinosaur didn't forgive people who starved him very easily.

Squall coughed, spraying salt water in the air. "W-Where… where am I…?"

"Where does it look like you are?" Ridere asked, "you're on a random beach-"

"A random beach on the mainland," Mah corrected, "And by the looks of it, things haven't gotten much better since I left this place…"

"_All of the fruit trees are gone…"_ Yoshi murmured miserably, _"I can't even grab a descent coconut anymore…"_ Not for the first time, Mah wished that she could reach up and pet the little dinosaur.

Squall shot a glare at Ridere and seemed to finally come to his senses. "You! You're that ungrateful little cabin boy who cost me my ship, crew, and my future! All while saying an extra cheesy line!"

"Sparta is awesome and you know it!" Ridere snapped back. Snake banged his head against a wall. Ridere glared at the soldier for a moment before turning back to Squall. "And you better be grateful that you're even here. If it were up to me, I would've just let you to drown out there. Especially after the way you treated Mah…"

"Boys…" Mah said uneasily. Yoshi, however, actually enjoyed this a bit. The one regret the little dinosaur had at that moment was that he didn't have any popcorn with him to watch the show with.

"_You just got __**burned**__," _Toon Link laughed. Even more entertaining was when Squall jumped a foot in the air when he spoke. He reached for his gunblade, but found that it wasn't there.

Mah and Ridere knew the signs of a newly revealed guardian. It only took one glance between the two of them that confirmed it. Mah cleared her throat.

"Uh… Squall?"

The young man, who was digging around in the sand didn't answer. Meanwhile, Toon Link couldn't stop laughing in his head. He coughed a bit and deepened his voice for more effect as he grinned deviously.

"_Squall… I am your FATHER!"_

Snake raised an eyebrow. _"Is that kid looking for his weapon? By the looks of that thing, he can easily shoot us with it!"_

Ridere shrugged as he cheerfully spun Squall's gunblade, which they had found floating near him. "Eh… you never know! He might wanna shoot himself! After all, it's not every day you wake up on a beach surrounded by a girl and me with a weird voice inside your head!"

Squall shot up at his words. "You… you know about-"

"The voice in your head?" Ridere smirked, "Yep, pretty much. Mah and I both have the same thing. Basically, the voices are a pretty good magnet for trouble and there are at least thirty more of us out there. So unless we're all crazy, you're _not_ going nuts…"

"_Well, that's a good way of explaining things!"_ Toon Link said happily, _"he just made my job a __**lot**__ easier!"_

Squall scowled and threw up his arms. "Great! That's just great! First I lose pretty much everything I had in life and now I have the voice of some kid stuck in my head! What next? One of the Smashers is going to be stone drunk on this damned beach!"

Toon Link cocked his head to one side. _"Well… what would you do if I said yes…?"_

Sure enough, the three noticed a strange dark lump on the beach that none of them had noticed before. Multiple bottles of what Ridere and Squall recognized as rum littered the ground around the shape. Only adding to the effect was the unbearable stench of too much alcohol that hung in the air around the lump.

Though they had both spent most of their life on the ship, neither of the boys had ever tasted a drop of alcohol. Ridere because he preferred fooling around over partying whereas Squall because he just didn't feel like it.

Snake, on the other hand, inhaled the heavenly aroma like he hadn't smelt if before. It had been at least 110 years since he had had his share of the bottle. And this particular rum happened to be a favorite of his…

Toon Link shook his head in confusion. _"Why would a minion… a __**top**__ minion of Tabuu be lying drunk on a beach…?"_ Squall repeated this, only to receive shrugs in reply. A glint appeared in Ridere's eye as he took in all of the rum bottles and Luigi's sleeping figure.

"Oh man…" he laughed and rubbed his hands together, "Do you know what this calls for…?"

Snake raised an eyebrow. A long time ago, he used to play the occasional prank on his fellow Smashers. There had been one particular one that had been played on _him_ by a certain Red the Pokemon Trainer…

God, he hated that prank…

"_Ridere, don't you dare do that!"_

Mah and Squall caught on at the moment Ridere grabbed a bowl from the little boat and filled it with sea water warmed by the sun. Grinning evilly, the boy lightly tiptoed over to the green clad plumber and set the bowl next to his head. With thin, nimble fingers, he carefully lifted up Luigi's hand and placed it in the bowl.

Immediately, the plumber wet his pants. Snake shuddered at the memory of when Red had played this prank on him. He couldn't look anyone (especially Samus) in the face for a month after that!

"Hell yeah!" Ridere crowed, bursting out into rancorous cackles. Toon Link hooted with laughter while Squall struggled to keep a straight face.

Snake slapped his forehead. _"Must… not… bang head… on wall…"_

Mah's jaw dropped. "Ridere!"

Yoshi was practically crying. _"Oh man, oh man! That's even better than the time Red did that to Snake!"_

Though the boys laughed their heads off, Mah could not find the heart to join them. She did feel awfully sorry for the plumber. But what worried her the most was when the unconscious form of Luigi began to stir and slowly open his vile yellow eyes. Mah gasped.

"Ridere! GET OUT OF THERE!" she yelled.

But she was too late. Before Ridere knew what was happening, Luigi's fist made contact with his jaw. One moment of pure pain passed by and the next thing he knew, he was soaring in the air, hurtling towards the clouds. Ridere blinked, becoming suddenly aware of a large bruise on his jaw.

"Whoa!" it hurt him horribly to talk. A single drop of blood trickled down from his nose. Snake felt this sudden jolt of pain as well, but only twitched slightly in response. He ahd endured greater wounds than this.

"_Luigi was __**never**__ that tough…"_ he muttered, _"Tabuu's trained his body well…"_

"Or he gave him steroids," Ridere laughed. "Either way… I'M BLASTING OFF AGAAAAAAAIIIIIIN!"

"_Must… not… facepalm… again!"_

Down below, Toon Link and Yoshi watched in horror as the body of Snake's guardian disappeared into the sky. Instead of a sparkle like they expected, there was an explosion instead.

A single tear rolled down Mah's cheek as she saw this. "Ridere…"

Yoshi shook his head in disbelief. _"No way… not after everything we… we went through…"_

Squall spat in the ground. "And good riddance!" He earned a glare from the other guardian. "What?"

"_Uh… guys?"_ Toon Link asked, _"We're here with a really, really __**pissed**__ plumber! Remember!"_

Squall smirked and picked up his gunblade, which Ridere had dropped when he ran to get the bowl. "No problem! I'll just shoot the guy's face off and we'll be home free!" He spun it once and aimed the gun at the approaching Luigi, who by now had recovered from the effects of the alcohol. "Say bye bye, Smasher…"

_Bang!_

The bullet rocketed out of the barrel of the gun with such force that it sent Squall staggering back a bit. Though it was fast, Luigi was much faster. Crouching low, the plumber waited for exactly the right moment before leaping high over the bullet, bringing him still closer to the little group. Squall nearly dropped his weapon in surprise.

"How did he do that!" Mah asked, forming an egg between her palms. She threw it, but rather than jumping, Luigi simply crouched down again and came at it with the move known as the Luigi Missile. He headbutted the egg as easily as a human could crush an egg in their palm.

"_Luigi's the younger Mario brother," _Yoshi explained, _"He's weaker than Mario, but he's a lot faster and can jump a lot higher!"_

Luigi sent a whole flurry of green fire balls at them. Mah jumped over them easily, having been gifted with Yoshi's terrific power. Squall, on the other hand, had not been expecting them and got singed. Enraged, he sent another round of bullets at his foe. Once again, Luigi easily dodged them. Instead, the bullets shot straight at Mah, who only avoided it by shielding herself within an egg shell.

Just like what Yoshi had done so many times during the tournament battles, Mah charged up her shot and zipped towards the enraged plumber, who leaped on top of her and steered the egg right towards Squall.

"_Use the boomerang!"_

Squall pulled a wooden boomerang out of his pocket and threw it wildly. He missed by a whole foot. Luigi flipped right off of the egg just in time for Mah to collide with Squall and send them straight into the water. The two burst back to the surface, coughing up the salty water. Mah was nearly blinded from the salt in her eyes.

"_That's not Luigi!"_ Yoshi gasped, _"He never really fought like that…"_

Mah coughed. "I-I know about his brother…"

Squall rolled his eyes. "Of _course_ everyone knows about his brother! _Nobody_ pays attention to Luigi!"

At his words, the plumber leaped over to him and grabbed the boy by his shirt collar before either of them could react. He slammed Squall's face into the sand, causing the boy to inhale some before getting on his back and jumping all over it. When he tired of that, he grabbed Squall again and this time threw him in the air, leaping up after him. Toon Link screamed in agony when Luigi's specialty meteor smash taunt was slammed right in his face, sending his guardian hurtling towards the ground. He landed with a hard _thud!_, his back blackened from bruises.

Yoshi's jaw dropped. Back at the mansion, Luigi had been a gentle soul who would (and probably couldn't) never hurt a fly. Now that his body was no longer his, his true fighting skill had begun to show through.

"_I never knew Luigi could fight like that…"_ he gasped, _"Why didn't he ever fight like that back at the mansion!"_

Mah was too busy throwing eggs at the oncoming plumber to answer him. Luigi slowly approached her and Squall, green fire dancing around his fist. His eyes were narrowed in anger and hate and what was more, a black fire burned in the middle of each eye, a fire that would never be seen in the eyes of the true Luigi. Mah blasted her eggs at the plumber, but he dodged each one with ease. Neither the fire in his eyes nor the flames around his two fists subsided.

Squall coughed. A black eye had bloomed from where Luigi had landed one of his punches. Toon Link shook in fear at the thought of being on the receiving end of the plumber's infamous Luigi Jump Punch. Though quite weak if not his at the exact moment it was at full power, this Luigi actually seemed to have a good sense of timing.

"_Farore… where are you…?"_

"I'M BAAAAACK!" a voice yelled from above. A shadow passed over the sun as Toon Link looked up. For a moment, he thought his prayers were answered when he saw this strange object in the sky. It was a human figure to be sure, hanging onto what looked like a helicopter of some sort.

Wait a minute…

"_Ridere!"_ he yelled happily as Mah whooped in joy. Luigi was distracted for a moment as he watched Ridere soar through the sky, piloting Snake's old copter with apparent ease.

"Hey, how do you drive this thing?" Ridere asked Snake, "I wanna land on top of that guy!"

"_Well, all you have to do is activate the turbo thrusters and press your body weight to the exact position, which in this case is a 90 degree angle, and then-"_

"Speak English!" he yelled, "this thing's running out of gas!" As if in repose, the copter spewed black smoke in the air and reeled in midair.

It dipped sharply and the next thing anyone knew, Ridere was hurtling straight at Luigi. Kicking out his feet, he caught the plumber in the nose and twisted it off to one side. A sickening crunch indicated a nose snapped right in half and as a final touch, Ridere slammed the plumber's face into the ground and landed on his feet as Mah and Squall pummeled him with their fists.

As the other two punched him, Ridere couldn't help but notice a small piece of paper on the ground. He picked it up and saw that it a photograph. There was a bit of blood on it from his cracking Luigi's nose, but it was otherwise pretty clean. The picture was of a pale teen with jet black hair and crimson eyes. He raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know Luigi was gay…"

"_He's not,"_ Snake told him, _"He's got this girl back home named Dolly or Daisy or something like that…"_

"So why would he have this picture?" Ridere asked, turning it over. On the other side, a single word was written: "Find". Squinting harder, Ridere could make out very, very tiny print: "Wrath Draconian, last seen July 21st, Year of Guardians Arising."

"_He's obviously looking for that kid… and whatever the reason is, that's not good…"_

Ridere winced as Luigi let out an unearthly scream that shook the very trees nearby. The sound of Shadow Bugs screaming, especially bugs that inhabited a body, was not a pleasant sound. Just then, there was a rustling in the bushes nearby.

"Excuse me, but… what the _hell_ is going on here!" a voice asked as a tall figure stepped out. Ridere gave a yelp of surprise and nearly dropped the precious paper.

It was the boy in the picture.

* * *

"Hey Chester, hurry up!" the boy yelled, taking off his black leather jacket and throwing it in the back of the car. He shook his spiky light brown hair as he removed this article of clothing, trying to get the dirt and grime off of it. His dark eyes glared sharply at the cracked window where another figure- the boy called Chester- was moving about.

"Hold on, Sam," Chester replied, grunting slightly, "I can't exactly lift this thing with only one arm, you know." Unlike Sam, this one had light hazel eyes that shown slightly in the dark, almost as light as his long brown wavy hair. He had a wide, good natured face, despite his strange grey tinged skin. With this right arm made of nothing but bone, anyone could've mistaken him for a zombie. But he knew himself better than that.

He wasn't a mindless cannibal who ate brains.

Up in front, a green- eyed brunette pressed his palm to the car horn and honked it three times, smirking as Chester jumped in surprise and dropped the box he was carrying. Glaring at the driver, the boy from Halloweentown picked up the box again and staggered over to the car, throwing the box into the trunk before slamming it close and sliding into the seat next to Sam. He was scowling.

"What's with the face?" the driver asked, looking back at them through the rearview mirror. In the back, he could see Sam smirk.

"Don't you get it, Joe? Chester's jealous because his face is so _ugly_!" Sam laughed.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Not cool, Sam."

Chester punched Sam in the stomach with his bone arm. "Excuuuse me, but _I _don't see you doing any work! _I'm_ always the one that has to actually break in and steal the stuff!"

Sam shrugged. "Sorry Chester, but we can't _all_ be already dead. We can't _all_ be zombies. We can't _all_ be immune to bullets and dying in general…"

Chester's scowl deepened. "You're just lucky that I'm not the kind of living corpse that likes brains."

Joe groaned. "Shut up, guys. We don't want those Smashers catching up to us. Remember the _last_ time they did?" He shot a glare at the two in the back, who quieted immediately. "That's right. If you two wanna end up like Nao, I suggest you stop fighting and let me get outta here before the Smashers figure out it was _us_ that broke into their weapons arsenal." Without another word, he jammed the keys into the ignition and started the car.

Up above his head, Captain Falcon stared in fascination at the many gears and switches all over the dashboard of Joe's car. His lip trembled as he remembered that this was almost exactly like his Blue Falcon in many ways. Built for a perfectly balanced mixture of speed and power, the Blue Falcon had never failed him in a race. Joe's car, on the other hand, was jet black and built more for speed than power.

The racer took in each feature of the great car with an expert eye, watching as all of the dials and buttons flashed enticingly at him as the car was put into motion. Even at this mild cruising speed, the car was pretty fast. There were plenty of dents, sure, but those could be easily fixed. If he could just get his hands on the blueprints for this baby, his Blue Falcon could become bigger and better than ever!

If only he had his body…

Meanwhile, Pichu cowered in fear behind Young Link, who was eyeing the two in the back with slight interest. The guy with the spiked brown hair looked cool, but it was the one with gray skin that fascinated him most. Was that guy a zombie? A vampire? There was something almost inhuman about him, but he was a teenager, nonetheless.

Besides, the three of them wouldn't be there if these three weren't their guardians.

"_Hey, Mr. Falcon?"_ Young asked, _"Shouldn't we be getting to our guardians now…?"_

"_Just look at the speed this thing's going at!"_ the racer said excitedly, _"And this is only a cruising speed! Just think about how fast it'll be in an actual race! This'll run over all the competition no sweat! And the mileage! Just look at the mileage! And-"_

"_What is he talking about…?"_ Pichu asked curiously, _"And that guy scares me…"_ He pointed to the boy with the skeletal arm. Young Link rolled his eyes.

"_Come on, Pichu, he looks nice enough,"_ he told him.

"_But he's scary!"_ Pichu insisted.

"_And the turbo drive! I should add one like this one to the Blue Falcon! I'll crush the competition!"_ Captain Falcon was saying. Young sighed.

"_I'll go first. You just follow me into whichever guy I don't go into, okay?"_ with that, the Hero of Time closed his eyes and it was not long until he was being jarred by the wind. In a flash of white light, he was hurtling down corridors upon corridors of pure blackness, finally being spit up in what looked like a karate stadium.

Sam's mind.

Pichu groaned in dismay as he discovered that Young Link's guardian was the boy with spiked hair. Captain Falcon had disappeared into the driver's ear only a few moments ago, leaving the Pokemon with little choice, but to accept the fact that his guardian was the boy he had deemed scary. Now that he had a closer look, the guy wasn't _that_ scary…

… but he was still pretty scary.

Pichu found himself standing in the middle of what looked like a town square. All around him, people in what looked like Halloween costumes chatted and laughed as they walked about. There were witches, vampires, ghouls, fiends, and so many more beasts that should only be found on Hallows Eve. Pichu flinched as a group of witches passed through him, showing him that they were only scary looking holographic projections.

He burst into tears.

Chester jumped up and banged his head on the roof of the car. "Ow!"

Joe swerved suddenly, causing the car to screech down a street. He was muttering something to himself, his breath coming in light, fearful pants. Sam lurched sideways and grabbed onto the car door for dear life while he hesitantly looked out the back window and was immediately peppered by bullets galore. He ducked down with a small scream, covering his head with his hands.

Captain Falcon gaped at the rearview mirror as it revealed their pursuer to him. _"That's my Blue Falcon!"_

Joe nodded. "That's right, Captain. According to the adults, Tabuu destroyed the Arwings and Wolfen, plus Samus' ship. So all he really had left was Olimar's spaceship, a couple of Landmasters, and that Blue Falcon." He spun the wheel to the right, causing the butt of the car to knock over a large stack of trash as it screeched to a stop and took off again in another direction.

This time, a flurry of arrows tapped their deadly heads against the glass.

Young Link's eyes widened in surprise. _"It's Big Me! And Princess Zelda! They're on top of Epona!"_

Sam, still recovering from the surprise of finding the voice of the long lost Hero of Time talking in his head blinked slightly before answering. "That's not the real Link and Zelda! Those two are controlled by Tabuu! We've been trying to convince Smashers to switch sides for years, but…" he ducked as a case of something from the front seat came sailing his way. "But everyone who went never came back…."

"_But… Epona…"_

"A specially bred horse…" Sam murmured, "Tabuu's somehow bred Epona's horse babies into lean, mean, flesh eating machines!"

"Oomph!" Chester rubbed his aching jaw as he threw the box that had hit him out the window. The sound of shattering glass, followed by the dreaded sounds of an AK- 47 told him that the case had hit its mark.

"That was a waste of perfectly good sandwiches!" Sam said indignantly as he unhooked a revolver from his belt. He began loading the bullets as Chester reached under his seat, trying to grasp at the case underneath as it slipped and slid with the car. Joe, meanwhile, had just managed to unhook his already loaded revolver and was firing away at the enemy behind him.

The Blue Falcon lurched forward suddenly and slammed its nose against the bumper of Joe's car, ripping it right off. The bumper hurtled off in the direction of Link and Zelda atop the flesh eating horse, causing it to rear back. While Link fought at the reins, Zelda managed to fire a light arrow at Joe's open window, knocking the run from his hand. Joe fished around for a new gun, all the while trying to steer with one hand.

Chester finally grabbed the box and began pulling grenades out of it. He lifted one to his teeth and bit off the tag, setting it alight. Rolling down the window, he tossed at least three out before slamming it close again to avoid the bullet rain from Captain Falcon's body.

"_Steer, Joe! Steer!"_ Captain Falcon yelled. The car was starting to spin out of control. It had just been stabbed horribly in the side by the nose of the Blue Falcon, something that the racer was both proud of and ashamed of at once. Meanwhile, Chester continued to throw grenades at the car behind him. It pained Captain Falcon to see his car slowly being torn apart by them.

"_Captain Falcon's gonna get so mad at you!"_ Pichu yelled over the noise of the explosions. One of the parts of the Blue Falcon came hurtling at Chester, who didn't dodge fast enough and ended up with a severely cut cheek. Lucky for him, he was already dead.

"Well, it's either he can sacrifice his car for the sake of our lives or he can run out there and try to marry it," Chester retorted, "Besides, I'm down to my last one!" With that, he ripped the final grenade open with his teeth and threw it with all his might.

Smoke curled up from the engine of the Blue Falcon, much to Young Link's relief and Captain Falcon's dismay. A single explosion was soon joined by a thousand more as the Blue Falcon spiraled out of control and slammed right into the nearest wall. Fire consumed the once proud racing vehicle and the driver, Captain Falcon himself flipped right out of it and got on his knees before the bonfire, his expression a mix of pain and anger.

Captain Falcon slapped his hand to his chest as Joe zoomed away from it. _"He feels my pain… Tabuu may take my soul away from my body, but my heart will always hold true! For when the Blue Falcon dies, both my heart and my soul rip in two!"_

"…" Joe was quiet at this, mostly because it was actually a sort of cheesy moment for him. He was just happy that neither Sam nor Chester could hear the cheesy speech about love for a car or something lame like that. He tuned out the racer and concentrated instead on keeping the car steady while Sam shot away at Link and Zelda, who had managed to regain control of their horse.

"_Not the hat!"_ Young Link yelled as Sam turned his older self's hat into Swiss Cheese. _"We had such good times together…"_

"Sorry," Sam said apologetically as he continued shooting, "But like this car, Tabuu, and Chester, it's gotta go someday!" He earned a glare from the other boy, who was loading his own revolver.

Meanwhile, Captain Falcon had just found out how old Joe was. _"Hey… aren't you a bit young to be driving a car…?"_

Joe shrugged. "Yeah, so?"  
_"That's against the law, isn't it?"_

Joe slammed his foot on the accelerator. "Screw the rules! I HAVE GUNS!" He slammed his hand down onto a flashing orange button. Out from the back of the car, two gigantic revolvers popped out and pointed themselves right at the two Hylian pursuers. Before either Link or Zelda had time to blink, the revolvers had joined Chester and Sam at firing at them. By this time, noxious black smoke was rolling out from the back of the car, blinding the two human shooters. Through the blackness of the smoke, an arrow sped out, straight and true.

"AHHHH!" Sam dropped his revolver in the streets as he clutched at his bleeding wrist. An arrow, undoubtedly from Link, had lodged itself into the boy's wrist.

Bullets flashed sailed through the air, biting at the legs of the horse. This time, the animal collapsed to its knees, blood gushing down them from wounds all over its body.

Captain Falcon was taken over by a sudden urge. _"Joe…?"_

His guardian retracted the revolvers and brought the car into a very sharp left turn, its tires screeching on the ground. "Yeah?"

"_Mind if I… put this fight to a nice end?"_

Without warning, Joe was yanked right out while Captain Falcon took over. The young man wasn't that mad at the racer for doing this, but he was irked nonetheless. Captain Falcon flexed the boy's fingers, satisfied that they seemed strong. He turned to the back.

"One of you grab the wheel! I gotta do something!"

Both blinked in surprise, but Chester grabbed it at Pikachu's urging. He watched in shock as Captain Falcon ripped the sunroof opened and flipped out into the open, where Link and Zelda were recovering from falling off the horse. His right hand curled into a fist, fire engulfing his very being.

It had been one _looooong_ century…

"Falcon… PAWNCH!"

* * *

Peach watched as the familiar landscape appeared beneath her. She knew this landscape. It was Smashville!

Excitement built up in her as she thought of all the friends she thought she was leaving behind when she and her two companions entered the Pokemon world. It brought tears to her eyes to think that she would be able to see Mario again.

Mario…

Sakura, Lin, and Beeh landed with a hard _thud._ The first thing they noticed was the three great ships around the place. A sudden movement from under them said that they were not alone. They watched as the person pushed himself out from under the ship and stood up, looking at them. For a moment, he and Sakura locked eyes. Then, he reached for something at his belt.

And then…

_Rat- tat- tat- tat-!_

Sakura shoved Beeh and Lin under her as the young man opened fire, wincing as the bullets just barely grazed her back. Peach quivered with worry for the young girl as she started sacrificing her own life to protect the two young ones beneath her.

_Rat- tat- tat- tat!_

Peach couldn't see a thing through the rain of bullets. What was more, it had happened very, very unexpectedly. The three had landed right in the middle of this strange clearing, with not a scratch on them.

That is, until the guy working on the ships here had decided to open fire on them…

"_Sakura, this isn't good,"_ she whispered, _"But I know we can get out of this!"_

Her guardian smiled. "I hope so, Peach… I hope so…"

Just as suddenly as it had started, the gunfire stopped. Sakura hesitantly looked up and saw that the young man's eyes had gone from blue to amber. It was a very curious changed and Peach soon found herself wondering if there was more to the shooter than they had thought.

His eyes brushed over the little group, taking in every detail. But when he spoke, his mouth never moved. _"Princess Peach, Olimar, and Red. I take it that you have just finished seeing the Pokemon World?"_

All three were taken aback. Being the first to recover himself, Red grinned when he heard Lucario's voice. "Lucario! I can't believe it's you!"

The Aura Pokemon gave a small chuckle. _"Yes… well, I have had quite the adventure as well… and I suppose that your three guardians have no idea what's going on?"_

Olimar shrugged. "Not much besides the basics. Get to the giant mountain… that's it…"

Lucario nodded. _"Indeed… we are having a bit of a spat between guardians right now…"_ He nodded in the direction of a clump of bushes. _"Samus's guardian, Golfer just left through those trees. He is infuriated at Roy's guardian, Traca."_ He nodded to a few trees off to the side.

"Sounds like a real bad situation…" Red muttered.

Peach looked up and gasped. The other three turned to look at her questionably. Unable to contain her excitement, she squealed in delight as three colored comets passed overhead.

The first was sky blue, with mixtures of red and gold mixed within. It seemed rather faster than any of their comets and seemed to laugh in delight as it passed. For some strange reason, the heroes down below felt a slight resentment for this comet, yet at the same time was glad that this one was now released.

The second was bright green and while the first zoomed by confidently and speedily, this one was slower. It seemed almost shy as it lagged slightly behind the first, but it was gone in the blink of an eye, either way. It seemed to make way for the third and final streak.

This one was pure red and zipped confidently across the skies. When the Smashers looked upon it, they were filled with a sense of hope, as if their leader had come. In truth, this comet marked the coming of the first of them all, the one who had gone on the most adventures, who had braved the most danger.

The one who would be the leader of them all…

* * *

**Ah, another chapter finished so early! But alas, it comes at a price…**

**I have Marching Band Camp starting Monday for a whole week! It takes up the entire day, so I'll have almost no time to write! **

**What's more, right after the camp comes school! And with my schedule for the first semester, things are going to get pretty hectic. I'll see if I can find as much time as possible to write, but now that summer is coming to an end… I think I'm going to go cry now…**

**Anyways, thanks to my awesome beta reader and the equally as awesome artist. I love you both!**

**Seeya!**


	17. MS, Green, and Miles

Two Plumbers and a Hedgehog

**Well, I've finally spit up this little guy. :D School and Band Camp can really torture you at time… T_T**

**Disclaimer: Don't own SSB or frankly, most of the guardians. So don't sue me… or else!

* * *

**

Cameron punched Golfer in the jaw, causing the other boy to back up into a tree. They had been arguing for about an hour already and all that resulted was a wrestling match between the two. Truth be told, Ike didn't mind much. He was just sad about Cameron not letting him take over so he could throw a few punches of his own.

Wrath had run off a little while ago to investigate noises of a fight. He actually seemed a bit disappointed that he couldn't participate in beating up Golfer. Ike wondered what Meta Knight thought of this whole situation.

He probably didn't care.

"What is _wrong_ with you!" Cameron screamed, "You get your bloody life _saved_ by her and your treat her like Ashera damned dirt!"

"You don't know what she did that day!" Golfer yelled back, "she betrayed me… she left me to _die_!"

"_Will you two stop it!"_ Samus shouted for the umpteenth time. Her guardian ignored her.

As the shouting match went on, Samus took this time to search Golfer's memories for any shred of information she could get. If this fight erupted into anything worse than an argument, there was no way they'd be able to defeat Tabuu. She gently waved one hand over the spines of one bookshelf until she found one labeled: _Traca's Betrayal: June 6__th__, Year of Darkened Blood._

In the book, she found pictures of what happened during this time. Frowning in confusion, she sat down and began to flip through the pages. There were a great many scenes of Golfer sitting across from Traca in a cafeteria of some sort. They were laughing and seemed like they were having a good time.

A strange power began radiating from the pages of the book as Samus' slim fingers, gently turned them. Far off in the distance, she could hear very faint laughter, the kind of laughter that would fill anyone with a sense of peace and happiness no matter what the situation was. For a moment, the huntress could almost see her own childhood right through these pages, her happier years when she was younger, before she was so cruelly forced into the life of a bounty huntress.

For the first time in decades, a single teardrop fell from Samus's bright blue eyes. her heart was wrenched in two at the thought of everything these two once great friends had suffered because of Tabuu, the cruel dictator she and her fellow Smashers had failed to defeat a hundred years ago. It was because of him that two pure lives such as these were torn from their bright future and instead thrust into a dark and twisted war.

Samus flipped a few more pages and she learned of how Traca told Golfer about a mission of some sort. During this mission, they would travel to a factory that created machines of war. It was an assignment from Tabuu himself and it was a great honor for it to be bestowed upon her.

Samus' stomach lurched in disgust at the thought of _anyone_ being willing to carry out a mission for Tabuu. Especially since these two were so young. But what disgusted her the most was what this mission was all about.

Their goal was simple: destroy the machines and kill all the rebels.

But whatever else she had told him had been left blank in his memories. The words were rubbed away, as if he had forgotten them. Or, in the worst case scenario, had _wanted_ to forget them.

The next few pages showed the two as they prepared for their mission. Though the shadow of doubt and death hung in the air, they still laughed and smiled as they moved about. Soon, the day of their mission arrived and the two left in a rush. As Golfer left, Samus saw him drop a piece of paper on the floor.

There were directions and tips written on it, one of these tips inked in deep red: "DO _NOT_, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, TRY TO TAKE A WEAPON FOR YOUR OWN!"

It was a tiny, almost hidden thing in Golfer's memories. It was very possible that he knew deep down inside what that paper said, but couldn't remember what. The glow of this particular page had turned cerulean and Samus could almost imagine the broken shards of a lost memory that was shattered through the will of the person in question. She was glad that she had found this tiny bit of information.

Even the smallest bit could change the fate of Smashville itself.

She felt a blow of some sort jaw Golfer's mind. His vision swam slightly, but he threw another punch and managed to hit Cameron in the eye. Samus hoped that he wouldn't be knocked unconscious before she could finish looking through this memory. If Golfer was unconscious, his mind wouldn't work as well as it did now.

Cameron was shaking with anger now, so much that Ike was jarred slightly from his position in Cameron's mind. "W-What… is… wrong… with… you!"

Golfer wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth. "What are you talking about?"

Cameron panted heavily as he fought back frustrated tears. "You are treating a _woman_ like crap!"

"You don't understand what she did to me!" he yelled back, "You don't understand what it feels like to trust someone with your life, only to have them throw it away like it was nothing!"

A great storm blew in Golfer's mind as he said this, ripping the book from Samus' hands. The bounty huntress watched in surprise as the pages flipped rapidly all about, finally coming to a stop at a picture of Golfer and Traca, cloaking devices on, lowering themselves through a sky roof. As she grabbed the book yet again, she felt something cut her, like the shards of a broken spirit.

Ike felt a sudden gust of wind in Cameron's memories, grabbing numerous books from the shelves and tossing them about. From what he could judge from all the random pictures that passed him, all of them had _something_ to do with an all too familiar red sticky substance…

"_Cam…"_ Ike ducked a book just in time. His guardian seemed to ignore him, as the storm in his mind never calmed down.

"Don't understand? DON'T UNDERSTAND! You think we're so different, huh! You think you're the only one whose past, present, and future got nuked by some stupid blue idiot! I'm just like you, Golfer, whether you like it or not! If it hadn't been for Tabuu, I'd probably grow up with some friends and not have to bloody _fight_ to live!"

Ike bit his lip, the guilt of being unable to kill Tabuu the first time hitting him with full force. He remembered very clearly how easily Mia had been ripped from him. But what he never truly understood was how Tabuu's influence affected the rest of the world, including his guardian.

He knew now…

"I had to kill millions of people just to survive!" Cameron screamed, "I could've done something, anything, to stop that, but I _didn't_! And I did it all because I _had_ to survive! Ever since Ike started living in my head, my conscience hasn't stopped eating me up! Dammit, I can't _eat_ or _sleep_ because of everything I've done! And now, I'm trying everything I can to set things right so I don't go bloody burn in Hell! But you… _you_ haven't had to kill a million fucking people in your life! You think you've got the worse past of all of us, but think again, dammit! What about Heather? Wrath? Pikana? Nask! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TREATING YOUR BEST FRIEND LIKE TRASH AFTER SHE SAVED YOUR ASHUNERA DAMNED LIFE!"

"_Cameron! Calm down!"_ Ike yelled over the wailing wind. He could've sworn that the wind died down very slightly for just a moment before picking up again.

"You wanna know _why_ she deserves all of that treatment! Well, I'll tell you!" Golfer yelled back, "Yeah, she saved my life. But it was all for me just almost tripping off a ledge! Almost right afterwards, we lowered ourselves through the sky roof into the rebel base. We were just about to nuke the damned machine when those stupid rebels _catch_ us somehow and now while I'm fighting to get us out, she _ditches_ me! After everything we went through, she _ditched_ me!"

"That's still no reason to treat her like trash!"

Though what Golfer told Cameron was true, Samus alone knew what had really happened. While Traca flew up to start placing C4s on the ceiling near the machine, Golfer handled the base and wherever he could reach from the ground.

It was then that his eyes fell on the gun. He dropped the C4 he was carrying and just simply stood there and stared at it, all instructions he had received before forgotten.

All that mattered was that _gun_!

It was a beautiful piece of art as far as guns go. It was silver in color, with a large barrel and a light trigger. The thing looked quite easy to carry and it helped that it came with its own holster. Samus saw that it was the kind of gun that was dangerous, but _everyone_ wanted to have it. Those guns usually were the cause of wars over it and many other things besides.

Golfer reached out to grab it. Samus screamed at him to stop, though she knew she could not change the past. At the moment Golfer's hand touched the weapon, sirens blared all around. An electrical shock coursed through him, causing his cloaking device to go haywire. Near the ceiling, Traca watched in horror as Golfer's cloaking device shorted out and he was revealed to all the surprised rebels around him.

An uproar began after the moment of stunned silence passed. Grabbing all the weapons they could reach, the rebels rushed at the boy and began shooting at him while those who grabbed bludgeon weapons ran on. Some of the rebels, with their terrible aim, actually hit and killed some of their own number whereas others were shot by Golfer. The bullets coming towards him simply bounced off a force field that protected him.

Thank goodness for Fox's inventions.

Golfer grabbed the gun and pulled the trigger. Sparks flew into the air and showered all over the floor. An electric blast popped right out of the gun and managed to destroy one rebel in a flurry of blood and limbs. Golfer nearly dropped the gun in surprise.

That was his first intentional kill. Samus could feel it through the pages. She could feel the horror and fear he felt, yet at the same time the pride and the need for more. Once someone had committed a murder, there was no going back.

Ever.

Bullets whizzed back and forth, blood sprayed into the air like a fountain. Though Golfer's aim was excellent, he was only to take down one rebel at a time. And even with the rebels shooting their own comrades on accident, there were too many for him to handle. He looked up imploringly at Traca, who though he could not see, he knew was there.

"TRACA! A little help here, please!"

The girl's back was turned in this vision, so Samus couldn't see her face. For the next few pages, it was of nothing but red streaks staining the walls and floor, made from both Golfer's and the rebels' blood. Each scene was different as ten rebels were shot down and another twenty replaced them. There were numerous cuts and bruises on Golfer's face from the bludgeon weapons, but even more corpses at his feet. In this memory, Samus could tell that he had never killed so many people before.

Whatever innocence he had left was gone.

Though her friend cried out for her, Samus saw that Traca made no move to help. Instead, she simply floated there while a single tear ran down her face. Spreading out her wings, she took off into the air and flew right out a window, never looking back at her old friend. She could feel the anger, the fear, and the frustration coming off of the memory in waves and she listened as the laughter she had heard earlier began dying away into nothingness.

"Traca!" Golfer let his guard down in his confusion, which allowed for a rebel to come close to him with a blunt weapon. Golfer just barely managed to dispatch it, but wasn't prepared for the hard blow to his ribs from a crowbar. Staggering back, he was just barely able to strengthen his force field in time to reflect back the bullets that were hurtling at him. His head pounded, a trickle of blood was working its way down his cheek, but he kept on shooting.

Samus knew sooner or later his gun would run out of ammo. Either that or the mass of rebels would overtake him. Fearful though she was, she wondered how in the world he managed to escape. The bounty huntress turned the page, her fingers shaking with anticipation.

It was blank.

Samus was taken aback. Surely there had to be some remnant of a memory! She desperately flicked through the blank pages, searching for a clue. But no matter how far she looked, nothing came up. And still the whirlwind around her never died, as if her guardian was feeding off of the anger now spinning out of control from this memory.

Cameron and Golfer were still fighting. Ike thought it was amazing how different his guardian's fighting style was from his. With his humongous sword and great strength, it was inevitable that the mercenary would be a slow one. Cameron, on the other hand, lacked his strength and instead exchanged it for speed. While his blows did not deal nearly as much damage as Ike's used to, they were faster and came in rapid succession.

"You've got some serious nerve to talk to a woman like that!" Cameron spat as he managed to block an upward punch with his forearm.

Golfer scowled. "She didn't do anything back then and she's definitely not going to do anything about that now. Besides, I _saw_ Nask pick up her stone. She was staring at it earlier, too! Traca's completely defenseless without that thing and she can't attack without it to save her life!"

"_Untrue!"_ Ike argued, _"She's Roy's guardian so she can easily find a stick somewhere to use as a sword!"_

Something rustled in the bushes nearby. "Aw man… I leave you two alone for _five freaking minutes_ and you decide to duke it out… what a day, what a day…"

Neither of them needed to turn around to know it was Wrath. In spite of himself, Ike glanced briefly at the ebony haired boy, taking his eyes off the evenly matched fight. He sputtered in surprise.

When Wrath had gone to investigate the sounds of a fight, Ike had expected him to return with a few scratches and maybe even a wound or two. What he didn't expect was for him to return with two, no, _three_ people! All of them had the identical spark in their eyes that Cameron and all the others did.

The spark that told him they were meant for great things.

Golfer and Cameron dropped their fists when they saw these three new people. Wrath gestured to each one in turn as he spoke their names.

"Guys, this is Mah." He pointed to the tall, tanned girl. Samus recognized her as the girl Golfer had spared long ago. "She's the guardian of Yoshi. That," he pointed to the scowling teen in the back, who tried his best to hide his face in the shadows. "Is Squall. He's a huge dick and the guardian of Toon Link."

"Hey!" Squall yelled, "Who are you calling a dick!"

Wrath rolled his eyes. "You, of course." He pointed to the shortest of the trio, who looked at his surroundings with slight interest. "This is Ridere, guardian of-"

Cameron gave a shout of surprise. Ridere frowned at him as he staggered back. It wasn't really polite to shout at people when being introduced to them.

"_Geez, what's up with that kid?"_ Snake wondered.

Meanwhile, Ike was perfectly aware why Cameron had shouted. The boy's name had been mentioned by Nask on the night they left the continent of Tellius and came to this world.

Was it possible that he was Nask's long lost brother…?

_Woo! Woo! Woo!_

The sounds of a siren ripped through the air, interrupting Ike's thoughts. The mercenary frowned in confusion at the sudden sound, wondering what in the world that meant. He could tell from the worried looks the guardians exchanged that they knew what was happening.

"_What's going on!"_ he asked Cameron, who was unbuckling his rapier.

He watched as Golfer ran past the young man and into the trees, in the direction he had come from earlier. Wrath motioned for Mah and the two others to follow him as he followed Golfer, who was clearing a path with his hunting knife.

Cameron finally managed to unbuckle his weapon and swung it around experimentally. "Sirens are only activated when someone's in trouble…" He glared in the direction they were headed, where red and blue flashing lights could be seen. "And the only person over there… is Eric!"

Ike's jaw dropped in disbelief. _"You're kidding me! There's no way __**anyone**__ would find us all the way out here!"_

Cameron shrugged. "Anything's possible…" With that, he gripped his rapier all the more tighter and took off after the other guardians.

* * *

Traca punched another hole in the tree, causing Roy to wince in pain as the scraps all over her knuckles were widened even more. At this rate, she might actually die from the loss of blood.

"_Are you done yet?"_ he asked, wincing again as another tree was given a gaping hole from her fist.

Traca fell to her knees, tears falling down her cheeks. "That stupid… dickhead… jerk!" Just as she was about to punch another tree, a hand shot up from nowhere and caught her fist in midair.

Mars calmly surveyed the scene, taking in all the now hollowed trees. "I'm pretty sure the trees don't like having big fat holes in them."

Aly struggled her way through the bushes, leaves stuck in her hair. "Mars! I told you to wait up!" She dropped to the floor on her butt and accidentally set her guns off.

Mars resisted the urge to bang his forehead on a tree. "Aly… didn't Eric and I tell you that the trigger goes _in_ the holster?"

The other pilot cocked her head slightly. "Well… then how am I going to get my guns out and shoot people?"

"_That chick really needs to get some help,"_ Falco sighed.

Aly bounced over. "So, what's up?"

Roy felt Mars loosen his grip on Traca's hand, but not enough to allow her to escape. "Well, as you should be able to tell, this one's been having a little too much fun with those trees…"

"Without me!" Aly frowned, "That's not fair!"

Mars groaned. "Aly, stay on task…"

"You're always doing crap without me!" Aly ranted, "Like that one time you went to the convenience store with Eric and drove the clerk nuts and that other time when you two went to that one diner and saw an alien burst out of some guy's chest, and that other time when-"

Roy had gotten bored of the argument by this time. He walked to the back of Traca's mind and began searching her memories, thankful that the girl was too distracted by Mars and Aly to notice. He found the particular book he was looking for and began to read.

The memory had started when she was standing in her room. It was a dark and dreary morning.

"_Since when has it __**not**__ been dark these days…"_ Roy muttered. Though the comment was lighthearted, his mood was anything but. Something squirmed inside him as he remembered that it was _his_ fault all of this happened.

He looked out the window of Traca's room in this memory and saw nothing but a great black landscape interrupted only by the occasional splatter of deep red. His disgust and hatred for himself grew at the thought of how he had played a hand in ruining the lives of so many young children because of his failure. Still drowning in his own guilt, he turned the page, hoping to get his mind off of this.

Most of the pages passed by uneventfully as his guardian went about her daily business. But just as Roy was about to put the book away, something caught his eye. It was a note of some kind, describing a mission that would be perilous to her and whomever she chose as her partner on this mission. But what confused him was that unlike the official notes that Master Hand used to send out- all typed and neat- this note was written in an extremely messy scrawl. Heck, some of the words were even badly misspelled.

The half- dragon could almost feel her emotions of this through the pages. He expected to feel surprise, excitement, _something_ other than what he felt right now.

He felt the vague shards of a broken heart and an even more shattered conscience.

Roy kept reading. There was not much to be said over the next few pages as the two left on their mission and scaled a cliff. True to Traca's word, she _had_ saved the boy from certain death. Roy raised an eyebrow when he saw that there seemed to be a phone of some kind on her belt. There was absolutely no need for a phone at that moment,

"Well, it's not my fault that I ate the rest of the beef jerky… I like meat!" Aly was saying outside. Roy looked up to listen.

Mars waved her comment away. "Anyways, that's not what we're here for…" he turned back to Traca, his dark eyes cold as ice. "I know you have something to hide, so spit it out."

Roy could feel the defiance radiating off of Traca in waves. "I-I don't have to tell you anything!"

Mars scowled. "True, you don't have to, but what's the point if you don't? Look, we're trying to _help_ you here. I don't give a shit if you just freaking nuke that Golfer guy. But there's _something_ going on here and Aly and I have to stop it from coming between the other guardians, not just you two."

"…" Traca hesitated, wondering what the best choice was. She reached for her necklace, but realized it was gone. She was powerless to fight her way out of this and Mars' grip only tightened around her wrist.

"_It might not be all that bad…"_ Roy offered.

He could feel his guardian's defiance build up for one moment only to be dilapidated the next. This was a fight she could not win. She took a deep, shuddering breath and began her story.

"We were on a mission… we had to kill as many people as we could and destroy a powerful machine ASAP…" Aly dropped two of her guns at those words while Mars' expression remained cold. "I… Golfer and I… we… we weren't all too sure about this whole thing… and before the mission, when I received the note… "

"Wait a minute," Mars interrupted, "You said you were on a mission? What kind of mission? Killing as many people as possible and destroying a machine as quickly as possible doesn't sound like Tabuu's style…"

Falco nodded. _"Yeah… he's the kind of guy that likes to play with his food before he eats it…"_

Roy felt Traca's overwhelming guilt as she spoke again. "That's because… it wasn't from Tabuu…" Roy gasped, remembering the badly spelt note on her table.

That explained a lot…

"So you went there and you shot everyone dead?" Aly asked, just a bit eagerly.

Traca shook her head. "No, instead, we…"

Roy turned his attention back to the book. Traca and Golfer were now putting C4s all over the machine. It seemed like tedious work as the two were constantly making calculations. They had something to do with physics, which was something Roy could never grasp the concept of. Once again, he was about to put the book away when he noticed Traca digging around in her bag…

… and pulling out a really nice looking gun.

"_Oooh… shiny…"_ Roy had always been fascinated by guns. Having rarely handled one himself, the past hundred years had been awfully boring without one. And Samus didn't make it any better when she started describing the _physics_ of the gun to him.

Taking care not to let her partner see, she quickly backed up and placed the weapon on the conveyor belt nearest to him before flying back up and latching C4s on again. She did her best to keep her expression neutral, but the single bead of sweat sliding down her cheek gave her away just a bit.

Roy frowned in confusion, wondering why she would do this. Sure enough, the gun soon caught her partner's eye and it wasn't long before the boy had picked up the gun and the alarms were blaring at full blast all around them. Roy heard Golfer scream at Traca for help, but the girl did not listen. Instead, the phone at her hip vibrated once and she immediately turned her back and flew off.

"So I had to abandon him…" tears were rolling down his guardian's cheeks, her body trembled in all her grief. "If it meant I could know who I was… why I'm here… why my parents are…"

Roy could almost taste the broken shards of her fighting spirit as she abandoned her greatest friend. Once again, his own guilt of not beating Tabuu before he could spread his influence hit him with full force. He watched as Traca, tears rolling down her cheeks, flew out of the sky roof and landed a few yards outside of the perimeter of the building. Roy wanted to cry as well, but being accustomed to bringing about death by his own hand, he was able to hold back his tears.

The shards of Traca's spirit became even more scattered as she flew out of the building, unable to look back. Unhooking the phone from her belt, she opened it and out popped a holographic image of a figure, its face shrouded in shadow. When it spoke, it revealed itself to be male.

"_Has your task been fulfilled?"_ the holographic figure asked, his voice muffled by the crackling of the hologram. Roy felt a sense of hollow obedience from his guardian, mixed in with her misery and her anger.

Traca nodded in response. "Yes… he's dead… the spark in his eye will never be a threat again…" Her voice was empty of emotion. Roy suddenly felt a lump in his throat as he remembered that there had also been some… people… that had been sent out to kill him as well.

The figure nodded absentmindedly, sending a surge of anger through Roy's very being. The girl had just given up everything for him and now he was nodding it off like it was a small thing? _"Excellent, excellent… Lord Tabuu shall reward me beyond everything I have ever dreamed!"_

Traca squared her jaw and made an expression similar to Roy's when he would face off against an enemy. The former Smasher had a sudden flashback image of him wearing that same expression, his friends behind him and ready to support him all the way. "It's time for _you_ to hold up your end of the bargain!"

The figure scratched his chin amusedly. _"Ah yes… who your parents are…"_

Roy felt his gut wrenching at the mention of his guardian's parents. It had been so long since he had seen Eliwood, his ailing father. His mother had (supposedly) died while giving birth to him, so he did not know who she was. Some said that her name was Ninian. Others said that she was Fiora. And still others whispered that his mother was Lyn, one of the Assist Trophies he had often seen around the mansion.

He turned his attention back to the two figures. Traca was shouting angrily at the silhouette while the shadowed man laughed, throwing back his head. Roy could feel her anger radiating off the pages of this memory as she continued to shout.

"You promised!" she screamed angrily, "You promised that you would tell me if I killed him for you!" The book suddenly glowed red hot in Roy's hands, causing him to cry out in pain. Though his fingers began blistering under their gloves, he held on and continued to read.

"_But you did not!"_ the man retorted, _"You merely left him to his demise while you escaped. You were supposed to kill him with your own two hands!"_

"Monster!" she shrieked, "I did that so I can know who my parents are! Tell me, now!"

The man merely scoffed. _"I have no time for this. I take my leave, girl!"_

And just like that, he was gone. Traca ran forward with a scream, her fists out and ready. She threw a punch at the hologram as it faded, but was unable to hurt the man. His cold cackle filled the air as he laughed at the fruitless efforts of the manakete trying to harm him. With one last laugh, he disappeared and that was the end of it.

Roy flipped through the next few pages. All of them were quite bare. He thought this to be rather suspicious, seeing that he could still see the bits and pieces of the memories from where they had been ripped out. There was a dark patch here, a bloodstain there, but the rest of the story was lost in the efforts of time and Traca's wish to not remember anything else about the event. Roy threw the burning book on the ground in anger, turning his attention back to the outside world, expecting to hear Traca telling her story.

"And that is why chickens can't fly!" Aly said triumphantly, crossing her arms and smirking.

Roy blinked. _"Whoa… where have I been…?"_

"Weren't you paying attention, Roy?" Traca asked, "These two put up a really good debate… after… after I told them anything, like you said…"

Mars was seething. "Chickens can't fly because they lack the-"

"_Mars, shut up,"_ Falco rolled his eye, _"None of us speak nerd, you know."_

"Who's side are you on?" he demanded angrily.

Before Falco could answer, Mars' radio gave a small crackling of static, cutting across the bird's response. Falco glared at the radio, as if it was its fault he was so rudely interrupted. Smirking, Mars picked up his radio, spun it once in his hand and held it to his face.

"Yellow!"

"_MARS! ALY! GET YOUR BUTTS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!"_

All three guardians winced at the sound of Eric's high, panicky voice. In the background, screams- obviously female- could be heard as well as the sounds of a frying pan and the roars of Pokemon. Falco found it interesting that Eric had found yet another group of girls somewhere.

Boy, he was one big babe magnet.

"More girls!" Mars snarled, "And _again_, you're _not_ sharing!"

"_Now's not the time, Mars!"_ the mechanic shouted back, _"It's __**them**__! __**They're**__ here!"_

Fox cocked his head in confusion as Aly jumped a foot in the air and started grabbing at her guns. _"Who? Who's here? Aly, calm down!"_

"Calm down? Calm down!" Aly began loading bullets into one of her guns, causing it to overflow with gunpowder, "How can I calm down when possibly one of the worse threats in this world has found us all!"

Mars grabbed Traca and began dragging her off to the right while Aly ran to the left, already blasting away with her guns. Fox looked over his shoulder at Mars' and Traca's quickly retreating figures.

"_Wrong way, Aly!"_

The girl skidded to a stop and looked over her shoulder. "Oh… I knew that!" With that, she ran off after her two companions.

* * *

"Get down!" Sakura shouted at the two girls as she removed Peach's frying pan from out of nowhere. Lyn and Beeh reluctantly obeyed as a great pillar of fire danced above their heads.

Eric, having accidentally wasted his bullets, was forced to charge up an aura sphere and release it to counter a whole rain of red hot fire balls. Though the tiny ball of aura died down immediately after it had counteracted the fire balls, their enemy staggered back, the flames of the aura lightly licking his mouth.

Peach wrung her hands in worry. _"Yoshi! It's Yoshi's body! We shouldn't hurt him so much…"_

Sakura deflected an incoming egg from Yoshi, who was cowering in the back, throwing his infamous egg bombs. "Sorry Peach, but this is war. We'll _have_ to make sacrifices sometime…"

It had happened so fast. One moment, Peach was panting in relief as the young man finally stopped firing at them, thanks to Lucario's intervention. Sakura and Eric were talking and getting to know each other while Beeh and Lin stared at the Arwings in fascination. In truth, Peach did not really understand the whole appeal of the two Star Fox ships and the Wolfen.

After all, they weren't pink!

Just as Eric was about to pick up his little phone thing and call his other friends, a rustling in the bushes caught the guardians' attention. From out of the bushes came an all too familiar little green dinosaur, his nose pointed to the ground as he sniffed away. He managed to get all the way to where Wrath's bag was sitting when he looked up and noticed the four people staring at him.

Before any of them could make a move, Yoshi had thrown back his head and let out a shattering scream that pierced the skies. Lin and Beeh had fallen to their knees whereas Eric, out of habit, had put up his shields. From out of the same bushes Yoshi came from, two figures, both of them as familiar to Peach as the day was long, burst from the bushes.

And yet another fight for their lives began.

Peach winced as the flat of her pan connected with her own body, which was running up for a slap. Eric unleashed a whole flurry of aura spheres, only to have Mario Mario dodge all of them.

"_Concentrate on your aura, Eric,"_ Lucario instructed, _"Remember, you are the master of the aura… the aura does not master you…"_

Eric leaped out of the way just in time to dodge Bowser as he charged towards him. "Easy for you to say! _You're _'The Aura Pokemon'!"

Lucario sighed, slightly offended. _"Well, anyone can do this. You merely have to train, just as Sir Aaron did-"_

"Eric! I heard you shooting, what's- AHHHHHHH!"

Lucario felt Eric whirl around, jolting the Pokemon from his meditative position. Psyche had just entered the clearing and got a face full of Yoshi's fire power. She staggered back, wiping her face. Yoshi, who had just noticed the rather weak looking girl enter, leaped up and prepared his tongue to swallow her whole.

Pit saw this coming and didn't have time to think of a strategy before Psyche swung his bow around and caught the green dinosaur right in the gut. He was knocked back for a moment, but regained his composure and started throwing eggs at her. But this time, Psyche was ready. With a flick of her wrist, she brandished Pit's mirror shield in front of her, causing the eggs to bounce back.

"_Lin, get up!"_ Red begged. Much to his relief, she did when she realized the screaming had stopped.

Beeh got up as well, rubbing her head because of a rather painful bruise from where she had hit her head. "Ow…" She blinked in surprise at all the chaos around her.

Lin pulled out a Pokeball and charged to Sakura's aid, who was holding her own quite well against Peach's powerful butt attacks.

"_C'mon, Beeh,"_ Olimar told her, _"Pluck a few Pikmin and let's go!"_

Beeh did as she was told, but was completely caught off guard when a Yoshi egg slammed into her stomach. The winded girl staggered back, but was just barely able to throw a few yellow Pikmin. Unfortunately, the dinosaur dodged them with ease.

She heard rustling in the trees behind her. Fueled by fear for her safety, Beeh grabbed as many Pikmin as her little hand could hold and threw them with all her might.

"Ow!" Mah shouted as a Red Pikmin made contact with her skin.

"_Mah!"_ Yoshi couldn't stop staring at the searing burn that had appeared on his guardian's skin. _"Are you alright!"_

Ridere repeated the question as he burst into the clearing, just barely dodging a wave of Yellow Pikmin. Without even looking at who threw them, he pulled out Snake's bazooka and prepared to blast away.

"IMMA FIRIN' MAH LAZAH!"

"_It's a bazooka…"_ Snake corrected.

Ridere rolled his eyes. "Whatever! IMMA FIRIN' WHATEVER THIS THING IS!"

Snake groaned. _"Why me!"_

"Ridere, no!" Mah screamed just as he squeezed the trigger.

A huge missile shot out at lightning speed, headed right towards Beeh. Beeh's eyes widened in horror at the oncoming rocket. Olimar closed his eyes, hoping desperately that some miracle would come and they would be saved.

Their miracle came in the form of a _very_ pissed off Wrath.

Wrath was ranting. He didn't seem to actually notice the fighting around him because of his ranting. He threw up his arms every so often, brandishing his sword.

"And _then_ you guys start trying to give each other bloody noses on the way here! Seriously, what is _wrong_ with you two! Can't I leave you alone for five min-"

Cameron burst through the bushes, spitting leaves from his mouth and sporting a blood nose. "Wrath, look out!"

Meta Knight felt a rush of adrenaline through Wrath's veins as the young man reacted to the force of the missile hitting the sheathe of his sword. He felt a strong pulsing from the pommel of Wrath's sword as the bullet made impact. A white light engulfed both him and Beeh as the missile was disintegrated right before their very eyes. When the light cleared, Wrath and Beeh were completely unscathed.

"_A useful power,"_ Meta Knight observed, eyeing the pommel of Wrath's sword, _"Where did you learn it?"_

Wrath shakily looked around. "I-I… I don't know…"

Mah ran forward, worry filling her eyes. She hesitated slightly at the sight of Beeh, her forehead creased in confusion. Yoshi noticed something in her memories stir at the sight of the girl, but it soon faded as a roar ripped through the air

Bowser roared his anger as his fire missed again and again. Lin and her Pokemon were doing well against Bowser, while Sakura and Traca took on Peach in hand to hand combat. Bullets, aura spheres, and bright blue arrows wizzed through the air at Peach, who dodged some and got hit by others. Sakura and Traca occasionally got hit, but theywould feel no resentment towards the trio and the girl for hitting them.

After all, all was fair in love and war.

Bowser charged towards Beeh and Mah. Wrath jumped into the air and tried to stab him in the head, only to get his sword stuck right in the turtle's shell. He began riding Bowser rodeo style, his face going green.

Cameron and Golfer ran forward, despite their Smashers' protests. They ended up crashing headlong into Nask and Heather, who had just entered the fray when they heard the sounds of the sirens. Pikana was riding on top of Nask's head, her eyes slightly less red and puffy than before. She leaped off Nask's head and rolled to the side, blasting away at Bowser as he charged blindly towards the small group of guardians.

The two groups crashed headlong right into each other, causing Nask to accidentally punch Cameron in the jaw while Heather landed on top of Golfer, pinning the boy under her heavy metal covered leg.

Wolf looked at the situation with interest. _"Wow… you sure are a good magnet for trouble, Heather."_

His guardian sighed. "I think we all are… oh, and sorry." She got off of Golfer, who stood up with a rather deep scowl. It was never a pleasant feeling having the wind almost stabbed out of you by a metal object.

Heather rolled off to the side as a storm of Yoshi eggs came hurtling at her. She held up her staff, red magic dancing around it.

"PSYFORCE!"

The blast managed to stun Yoshi, but it only barely managed to sting the dinosaur, as Heather had refused to use her more potent version of this power. Wolf raised his eyebrow as Heather's attack was soon followed by a single blast from a bazooka and a couple bullets from a gun. Golfer and Ridere both smirked at Heather and gave her a thumbs up, only to be stunned slightly by Yoshi's eggs.

"_Serves them right!"_ Wolf laughed.

Suddenly, Bowser reared back his head and let out a truly terrible roar. Sakura, Psyche, and the three pilots dropped their defenses long enough to receive a whole round of slaps from Peach. Heather, Ridere, and Golfer froze in fear at the horrid sound. The group of guardians battling Bowser, who were closest to him, covered their ears and trembled in fear as the roar ripped through the air.

Then came the rustling. It was very subtle at first, so almost no one could hear it over the koopa's roar. But Peach, who was actually pretty used to Bowser's roar from being kidnapped by him so much, caught a flash of bright red in the trees. Her breath caught in fear as she realized that there could only be one person that would wear such a color.

"_No…"_

Sakura felt the Princess's fear and slowly turned her head in the direction of a few trembling leaves. One by one, each guardian turned their attention to wear Sakura was looking, their fights forgotten as their enemies joined with Bowser's cries. In Sakura's mind, Peach trembled with fear and anticipation.

A flash of red seemed to light up the area as a great figure leaped from the trees. Fire shot out in all directions around him as he flipped once in the air and punched the ground with his gloved fist, sending tremors all around. The guardians gasped in fear while their foes roared and shrieked in triumph.

The great Super Mario had joined the Brawl…

* * *

"See anything, Chester?" Sam asked, kicking at a few pebbles in the dirt.

Chester groaned. "For the millionth time, NO!"

"_You don't have to be so mean…"_ Pichu chided.

Chester banged his head against the tree. "Why… why! Why am I stuck with you two!"

Joe pushed himself out from under the car looking annoyed. "Quiet, guys. That Falcon Punch ruined our car!"

Captain Falcon sniffed. _"Forgive me… I know what it's like to lose something as beautiful and precious as your car… it's like… it's like…"_

Joe tried turning him out, but he found it really hard to not listen to a voice in his head. He picked up a wrench and continued working, hoping that the stench of oil would distract him from Captain Falcon's raving.

Meanwhile, Sam was fooling around with a stick, trying to think of something for him to do. Young Link sat back and sighed, wondering how Hyrule was doing. It had been years, after all, since he had last gone there.

According to them, he had died two hundred years ago…

Chester frowned in confusion as his ears picked up the sounds of screaming and roaring in the distance. Though Smashville was rarely ever quiet these days, even for Smashville during the Reign of Tabuu, that was really unusual. Pichu trembled in fear at the sound of a fight, as he was never much of a fighter. The Pokemon was possibly the most naïve and innocent of all the Smashers.

And it had been the goal and dream of every Smasher kid to destroy such innocence.

Sam heard these strange noises as well and looked up in confusion while Young Link began to doze off. The boy had long become accustomed to the sounds of a fight and it would take a lot to jar him awake, especially since he no longer had his body.

Joe just kept working.

Chester hopped off the branch. "I'm going to go check it out, and-" He froze.

A roar ripped through the air, sending chills down everyone's spines. Every living thing in the vicinity froze at the sound, their hearts racing like jackrabbits. Pichu dove for cover and hid in the furthest crevice of Chester's mind he could find. Young Link was jolted awake immediately and out of habit, he reached for his little wooden boomerang.

Joe just kept working.

Pichu trembled in fear as the sound went on and on. This was horrible for him! Not only did his guardian scare the heck out of him, but this whole situation was scary. He ahd never seen so much blood or death in his life!

And it didn't help that his guardian was half dead.

His eyes widened in fear as the people in Chester's mind hissed and growled at the noise. Fangs descended in the mouths of vampires, sparks danced at the fingertips of witches. Then, from out of the ground, came whole hordes of the undead. Their ice cold fingertips prodded and poked all over the little Pokemon's body, caressing him from head to toe.

"_Go away… go away…"_

But the fingers did not listen. There were now bugs and snakes all over him, pulling at his fur and flesh. Pichu couldn't take another moment of this, but though he tried to let out his electricity, he could not.

He saw bits and fragments of memories all around him, one of them so very clear. It was of a beast of some kind, misshapen and deformed. It seemed to be a flour sack of some kind, with sharp and evil looking eyes and mouth. In his great sack- like hand, he held a great stone knife longer than anything Pichu had every seen.

He watched as the blade weaved in and out of the arm of a figure chained to a table in front of the monster, the figure's screams echoing all around. Bits of flesh and chunks of muscle flew every which way and all through this, the sack creature just kept on laughing and laughing at the other's pain.

The horrifying image disappeared as quickly as it had come. In addition, the many undead creatures around the little Pokemon soon faded as the roar outside stopped. Pichu got to his feet, his little body shaking in fear.

"_Um… Chester…?"_

His guardian unfroze himself, but was still getting over the shock of such a high, terrible, piercing roar. "Y-Yeah…?"

"_Do you have any wipies?"_

"Uh… no? Why?"

"… _I wet myself."_

"AHHHHH!" Chester screamed, falling out of the tree. Sam raised an eyebrow as his friend banged his head on every surface possible, screaming about baby Pokemon and their bad habits. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Hey Joe, was it you or me that slipped crack into Chester's drink again?" Sam asked, glancing to where the noise had come from.

"_What's up with that kid?"_ Captain Falcon asked as Joe pushed himself from under the car, allowing the racer to see Chester. _"He looks like he's having a seizure."_

Joe groaned. "Sam…"

"It's not _my_ fault he's acting like this!"

Young Link was busy chortling at Chester. _"Hahaha! Pichu pissed in his head!"_

"Young Link! Naughty words are bad for you! Now Chester… CALM THE HELL DOWN, WILL YOU! WHAT THE CRAP ARE YOU DOING!"

"… _Jerk…"_ Young Link muttered.

Joe walked over, a large toilet brush in hand. "Hey Chester, are you al-"

Chester grabbed the toilet brush and stuck it in his ear, letting it go out the other end before pumping it in and out. "Ah… perfect!"

"_That's what she said!"_ Captain Falcon said cheerfully.

Sam grabbed the toilet brush from Chester and threw it over his shoulder. Young Link had the sudden flashback of a certain hand sticking out of a toilet in Termina. He shuddered at the memory.

"What are we waiting for?" Sam asked, "Besides Chester finally getting a brain. Let's go!"

Joe shook his head. "No way! I'm not leaving my car!"

"_She's too beautiful!"_ Captain Falcon agreed, _"Don't let him tear me apart from my new love!"_

Sam grabbed Joe by the ear and began dragging him away as Chester went on ahead. "SQUADALA! WE ARE OFF!"

"And _now_ I'm being dragged away…" Joe grumbled

"_And he didn't even give you time to lock the car! What if something happens to her!"_

Joe struggled in his pockets for the keys and started desperately pressing the lock button. But he was too far away for the buttons to work.

"Sam, stop! I need to lock the car!"

The sounds of shooting had now joined the shouts and screams of fighters. Chester loped on ahead with easy grace, though Pichu was still unable to control his bladder. The teenaged corpse bit his lip in concentration as he cautiously approached the clearing. He could see the backs of four figures, three of them wearing almost identical uniforms. The fourth figure was dressed in rags, her tiny form almost obscured by the larger figures beside her.

Closer… Closer… almost there…

"_CHESTER! I NEED WIPIES!"_

"AH!" Chester tripped in surprise at the sudden scream of Pichu. He landed face first in the dirt, causing dust to fly in all directions. He heard the shooting as well as the sound of a developing Aura Sphere stop as his noises drew the attention of the three people in identical uniforms. Chester looked up and gave them a shaky smile.

He could see the fear and confusion flit between each of them as they continued to stare awkwardly at the undead kid that had just stumbled near them. They took no notice as Sam dragged Joe over. Chester hesitantly got up and walked up to them with his hand out.

"Hi, my name is-"

The girl spoke first. "Z-Z-Z… ZOMBIE!" She yanked a second gun out of the nearest holster and started firing away. Chester let out a scream as the bullets licked his skin before he ran away. The girl chased after him.

Sam and Joe were nearly knocked over by the force of Chester and the girl as they passed. In front of them, the two male pilots each gave a mutual nod before the one with jet black hair sheathed his gun and took off, nimbly dodging a rain of turnips being thrown at him.

Sam and Joe exchanged looks. Young Link, meanwhile, continued to watch as the girl chased Chester around the area. Captain Falcon was still sobbing over his car.

"Looks like we've found the source of the noise…" Joe said evenly. Captain Falcon's continued sobs were bugging him.

Sam cheerfully pulled a katana blade out of a sheathe at his side. "Well, what are we waiting for? LET'S GO!"

* * *

Their commander approaches…

Their hero was near…

Their last hope drew closer…

The great Super Mario himself was never a man to back down because of something as small as losing his body. No, as long as the plumber's strong soul existed, there would always be hope for both the Smashers and the humans of the known worlds. He was the first and the most famous of them all, his fame and prowess even surpassing Master Hand at times.

It was only natural that the human vessel of this great and awesome plumber would be from his own world. Once a peaceful place, the Mushroom Kingdom had been since warped beyond all belief, all through the efforts of a certain Koopa whose only goal was to rule the world. And it was only natural that the one of the greatest heroes of them all would be doing a truly heroic thing…

Playing video games while sitting on the toilet.

A knock sounded at the door as the boy finally reached the last level, his dark eyes blazing eagerly. The blaze soon faded to sheer annoyance as his concentration was broken and he died.

Again.

"MS! OPEN UP!" yelled a voice on the other side. Mariosonic, also known as MS, threw his game system in the direction of the door.

"Can it, Green!" he snarled, "You made me die… _again_!"

Green continued to pound hopelessly at the door. His long black hair was drenched in sweat as he had been doing his share of the chores all day. As a result, his skin had long been tanned from the hard labor in the sun he had to do, but at this moment, it didn't really matter to him. When he needed to go, he needed to _go_!

"Come on, MS!" Green was doing the potty dance by now, "I'm sorry, okay? I'll do _your_ chores, too!"

"NO! You made me die!"

Behind Green, a young African American male looked up from his newspaper and let out a sigh. He had been forced to live with these two since it was either that or getting fed to the Koopas. Frankly, he occasionally considered whether or not being fed to the Koopas would be nearly as painful as hanging with these two.

This was one of those times.

He ran a hand through his short curly hair, careful not to knock off the sunglasses he wore atop his head. "Green, you _know_ that once he dies while playing one of those, he becomes the world's biggest dick." He watched as Green slid hopelessly to the ground, trailing a line of sweat off of his green track jacket and black jeans. "Oh, cheer up. Just grab a battering ram and break down the thing!"

"But I might be invading his privacy!"

"Dude, the guy is _sitting_ on the toilet, _playing_ his video games. I'm pretty sure he hasn't even remembered to pull down his pants yet."

Up above, three of possibly the most famous clouds of gases in the known worlds watched with slight interest. Well, at least two of them were famous. The third one, which happened to be green, was usually ignored despite all his great deeds. The blue cloud of gas was just completing his hundredth circulation of the room.

"_Just look at these guys,"_ the hedgehog remarked, coming to a stop, _"The don't look like they have the speed to satisfy me!"_

"_But-a Sonic… they inherit your powers-a,"_ Luigi pointed out.

"_Shut up, plumber!"_

Mario glared at the rude hedgehog. _"Don't-a talk to my little brother like-a that!"_

Sonic snorted. _"Whatever! Anyways, so it looks like it's time to hang out with our guardians for a while and blah, blah, blah… Mario, I'm not good with these random sappy speeches so you do them."_

The plumber shifted uncomfortably as all eyes went to him. He cleared his throat.

"_Well-a… we have-a been waiting for this-a moment for a long-a time, and…"_

"_Lame speech done!"_ Sonic interrupted, _"Seeya, slow pokes!"_ Before either of the Mario Brothers could answer, the Blue Blur of Speed was already out of sight. The brothers blinked in surprise.

It had been a while since the hedgehog had shown his speed.

Mario was slightly put back for being beaten to his guardian by the hedgehog. Huffing in slight offense, he nodded once to Luigi before disappearing into the bathroom door. Luigi heard the sounds of something being dropped into the toilet inside. Not wanting to be left behind, the green plumber floated near the head of the young man who leaned so sullenly against the door. Luigi pitied him slightly as he remembered so many days back at the Smash Mansion where he had been ignored for living so long in Mario's shadow.

Why didn't people pay attention to Luigi!

Luigi hesitated at this, unsure of what to do now. There was no doubt that this person- whose name he knew to be Green- was his guardian. After all, the African American kid had just kicked the table, spilling hot coffee all over him. He seemed to be yelling at something- or someone- in his head and the boy near the bathroom thought this to be rather odd.

Forgetting to do the potty dance, he stared at the other male like he was crazy. "Hey Miles, you okay?"

Before Miles could answer, the bathroom door was engulfed in a bright blaze. Luigi watched as both Miles and Green leaped back in surprise and the person in the bathroom stepped out. Earlier, the three had witnessed Green yelling at MS through the bathroom door. Now, the young gamer walked out in amazement, flames licking his fingertips as he kicked down the door.

Luigi recognized the red flames around MS's fingers. Mario lived within him and frankly, he didn't think that his brother was all too happy. Then again, it was a lot better than nothing!

MS seemed pretty excited at what was going on. "Guys! I've got the voice of a random Italian inside my head!"

Green looked at him like he was crazy. Miles' jaw dropped in disbelief. Luigi knew it was time. Taking a deep breath, the plumber closed his eyes and allowed his form to being dragged away by the wind. It was a painful experience, as if something was trying to suck his nonexistent flesh from his equally as nonexistent bone. The younger Mario brother screamed in terror.

"_LUIGI WANTS-A HIS MAMAAAAAA!"_

He was still screaming by the time he was deposited in the core of Green's mind, which happened to be an almost exact copy of his own mansion. Luigi wondered if this kid was really for real.

He hated his mansion.

He suddenly felt jarred, as if his guardian had jumped up and hit his head on the low ceiling. Looking out a little white portal to the outside world, Luigi could see Miles slowly backing away while MS just simply kept burning stuff with his fire. He knew he ad to speak.

"_Um-a… Hi? My name's-a Luigi, and-"_

"Thanks a lot, MS," Green moaned, "Now _I _have the voice of a random Italian inside my head!"

Luigi was offended. _"Luigi is-a __**not**__ some random-a Italian!"_ He sniffed. _"Why does no one pay attention to Luigi!"_

Green blinked. "Y-You're… you're Luigi! Holy crap, you're practically my hero! I'm not the kind of person that would ignore you!"

MS looked up from where he was burning the TV, much to Miles' dismay. "Who's Luigi?"

Green's jaw dropped. "You don't know the Green Wonder? The Green Plumber? Mario's little bro!"

MS blinked. "… Who?"

Meanwhile, Mario was impatient at getting out of this world and back to the Smashers. _"We can-a have plenty of time to catch-a up later. Now, we must-a get out of here and back to Smashville-a."_

MS looked out the window, where there were Koopa Troopas around every corner. "How! Those things have been trying to break in here ever since we've stumbled on Miles. We haven't been outta this house for like… a month…"

Mario rolled his eyes. _"There's-a no need for you to fear-a now that-a you have inherited my powers-a!"_

MS hesitated. "I don't know…"

Miles jumped up. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm going!" In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving only a puff of dust and a small _boom!_ as he broke the sound barrier.

Green and MS exchanged looks before hesitantly stepping out the door. Bright sunlight met them, almost blinding them for a moment. This caught the attention of the Koopa Troopas, who immediately charged at them as fast as their stubby legs would carry them.

Green put his palms together, relishing the feel of the green flames licking his fingers. Before the Koopas had gone within ten feet of him he had loosed a whole flurry of green fireballs, which were soon accompanied by red ones as MS joined the fight as well.

Luigi felt the exhilaration of jumping high above the ground once again as Green leaped above the heads of the Goombas that were coming for him and proceeded to jump on each of their heads one at a time. MS just kept shooting fireballs because he thought it was fun.

A whole horde of Goombas rushed at MS, but he was ready. Gritting his teeth, he aimed a swift sweeping kick at them and they fell to the ground, becoming easy targets for Green, who was still jumping around. The great _boom!_ of the sound barrier breaking told them both that Miles had returned from where ever he had been.

"I really lightened our load over there!" he said proudly.

Green and MS didn't answer, as they were too busy still beating up Bowser's minions. Miles couldn't help but wonder why they were so easy to beat. Despite Bowser never really being one to have very powerful minions, he had expected for there to be Chain Chomps at the very least. Sonic read his thoughts and pushed them aside.

"_The old turtle could barely keep up with his diet, let alone have decent minions,"_ the hedgehog scoffed, _"Tabuu's probably running out of them because they're too slow!"_

Miles shifted uncomfortably as he watched MS and Green easily beating the Goombas and Koopas away. "I don't know, Sonic… I just don't know…"

* * *

Pichn was the first to recover his senses. He leaped over numerous corpses and hundreds of discarded weapons and armor to reach his brother. He grabbed onto Picho's shoulder- the good one- and shook him. Kirby noticed that Picho was losing an awful lot of blood.

And that his shoulder was mangled beyond anything he'd seen…

"_Cimar, get up!"_ Zelda begged, _"He's coming for you next!"_

Her guardian stirred slightly and hoisted himself up, only to fall right back down. Link, meanwhile had managed to stir Rinku to get back up on his feet, but he was clutching at his side where numerous Warlock Punches had met him. When he took his fingers away, a red stain began spreading all over him.

Link's eyes traveled to Sorius, who had just yanked his sword out of the boy and was now headed towards Cimar's bloodied form. The young man glared heavily at him and struggled to get up, but his legs collapsed under him and his nose hit the floor. Zelda's eyes widened as the black sword was raised in the air above them and came whistling down.

_Clank!_

"Ngh…" Rinku gasped as he took on the full weight of the man holding the sword. Link knew this move to be the very one he used when he had faced off with Ganondorf long ago as they crossed blades to decide on who would land the next blow. It was called Chance and it took much of Link's stamina to even keep the sword up.

Rinku was faltering…

_Clank!_

Rinku looked behind him and grinned. Cimar had managed to struggle to his feet and was now using his sword to support the other Hylian in this deadly game of Chance. With the two combined blades, they were able to push back the evil Usurper, but at the cost of their stamina and energy quickly draining them. Now with the extra sword supporting Rink, Link could see that once again, their strength was evenly matched with the Usurper's.

Suddenly, a bright light filled the room, nearly blinding the two Hylians. For one deadly moment, they allowed their swords to falter as they stared in sheer horror at what had just appeared in their opponent's hand. Likewise, Link and Zelda were completely lost for words when they saw this.

"_No way…"_ Link gasped before he was slammed against the back wall of his guardian's mind. Both young men had let their strength falter at possibly one of the worst times during a battle and had been thrown back. Blood rushed from twin cuts at their sides and another bruise was created for each of them when they slammed into the nearest pillar. Cimar's sword went hurtling in one direction while Rinku's sword was thrown at the Usurper, who deflected it with his own sword. Meanwhile, Zelda and Link were shaking with fear and disbelief at what they had just seen.

"_T-That… that was…"_ Zelda couldn't bring herself to say it.

Cimar coughed up some blood and wiped the corners of his mouth. His vision was swimming. "T-Tr-Triforce… o-of… P-Power…"

Rinku staggered to his feet, clutching his side. "H-How…?"

Sorius grinned maliciously, showing all of his yellowed teeth. "What? Do you foolish little boys truly think that you are the only vessels of the great beings known as the Smashers?" he laughed, sending chills down everyone's spines. 'Yes, it is true. I am one as well… but unlike you, I house no mere mortal, but a god! The great King of Gerudos himself lives within me! And it is with his power that I shall defeat you once and for all! Hyrule shall be mine!"

Rinku snarled angrily. "N-Not… while… I can s-stand on my t-two feet!"

Zelda gasped as Cimar struggled up as well, swaying slightly from loss of blood. "A-And not while I can still breathe!"

Despite everything, Sorius could only laugh and advance on the two some more. They rolled away from him and hid behind a fallen pillar, much to his amusement. He proceeded towards them, slashing down the great stone pillars of the throne room as he went. His laughter never ceased.

"You two can run, but you can't hide!"

Link bit his lip. _"He's right…We can't keep running forever… eventually, you two will __**have**__ to stand up and fight…"_

Rinku nodded. "I know…" he eyed the sword of a fallen warrior and picked it up. It seemed to weigh a thousand pounds in his hand. He winced as the ice cold hilt touched his flesh. It was like taking something from the very fingers of Death himself.

"_Cimar, you're not going to fight as well, are you?"_ Zelda asked worriedly. In truth, she hoped that her guardian would not fight. If both him and Rinku should fall in battle, there would be no one to help the twins escape.

Cimar gave her a shaky grin. "Since when have I _not_ fought for Hyrule…?"

Picho and Pichn limped over to where they were. Picho was leaning heavily on his brother, his face ghostly pale. Red rims ringed Pichn's eyes. But weak though they were, their faces were set in determined lines.

"We'll fight with you!" Pichn yelled.

"_We'll beat this guy one way or another!"_ Kirby agreed.

"After everything you two did for us, it's time that we pay you back," Picho grinned weakly, "I can still shoot stuff from my hands… you guys can handle the close combat!"

"Everyone…" Rinku looked away to hide his tears.

Link felt sudden warmth in Rinku's pocket as the two guardians said this. It was almost unnoticeable at first, but it soon grew and grew until it was almost white hot. Indeed, Rinku yelped in pain and grabbed for whatever it was in his pocket that was causing this heat. He ended up pulling out the shard as it radiated a light that could rival that of the Goddesses.

By this time, it no longer felt white hot, but was only pleasantly warm. But what was truly marvelous about this wedge was that it filled all four guardians with a kind of energy, a peace within them that could not be cut away by even the sharpest of blades. Rinku's and Cimar's swords began to glow. Brighter and brighter they glowed until they were engulfed in white like.

Rinku's sword changed shape and morphed until he was holding another sword altogether. It glowed with a faint blue light, as if it had just come from a divine forge. The hilt was deep purple inlaid with the symbol of the Triforce. Speaking of the Triforce, the great object itself began glowing on the back of the young man's palm. Link's own left hand was pulsing, as if the Triforce was itching to come out and fight. Rinku swung the Master Sword experimentally, his eyes wide.

"_The Sword as chosen you as its master…"_ Link whispered, _"In a way… you're like my heir… bear it well, Rinku…"_

Meanwhile, Cimar's sword was changing shape as well. But rather than taking the form of a sword, his sword instead chose to curve itself into a bow. It was beautifully carved and inlaid with jewels. On his back, he could feel the sudden weight of a quiver of finely hewn arrows. Zelda looked on in amazement as the Triforce symbol too glowed on the back of his hand.

The Light Arrows had come to aid them.

The four looked at each other and without speaking at all, they came up with a plan to defeat. Now filled with confidence, despite their great wounds, the two Hylians and the twins stood up and faced their enemy, fear no longer an option to them.

Sorius saw them seeming to rise from nowhere and laughed, confident in his victory. "Foolish boys! Do you truly think that you can defeat me with nothing more than your silly little so- called 'powers'? You are weak and powerless compared to the power of the great god, Ganondorf!"

"You tyrannical reign ends here, Sorius!" Cimar shouted, gripping his bow, "We're going to end this here and now!"

"_For my father!"_ Zelda screamed, _"That murderer shall perish for taking my father away from me!"_

Sorius eyed the bow warily. "A mere bow? Is that the only weapon you are given! Bah! I shall crush you and grind that bow to splinters!"

Picho coughed. "W-We'll beat you! I know we will!"

"With what? A pathetic little arrow? Ha! No arrow can penetrate my magical defenses! Soon, I shall have your heads and hang them upon my wall!"

Pichn grinned deviously. "No… you can have… MY BIG GAY DANCE!" He started dancing, laughing and kicking his legs up. Kirby smiled at the memory of King Dedede doing this dance long ago.

Sorius let his sword falter for a moment to stare in bewilderment at the boy who seemed to have lost his mind. Once Pichn had stopped he shook his head. "What in the world was that supposed to be?"

Pichn pointed to something behind him. "A distraction!"

Cimar jumped on the balcony railing where he had teleported using Farore's wind. Drawing back the taut string of Zelda's bow, he let loose a whole flurry of Light Arrows. Zelda smiled when all of them hit their mark and Sorius was immediately stunned as the powers of light penetrated his now weakened defenses. Her father will be avenged!

Meanwhile, Rinku had finished playing around with the Master Sword at Link's urging and was now rushing up to his enemy, hate burning brightly in his eyes. the Triforce of Courage glowed brightly on his hand as he leaped up and flashed it before Sorius's eyes, encasing the Usurper in a great spinning Triforce cage. When he tried using his black magic to break out, Cimar swung down via tapestry and added his own Triforce to the spinning cage. With Courage and Wisdom working together, the Triforce of Power was no match.

Rinku pointed the Master Sword at his father. "Usurper King Sorius of Hyrule, we are here to judge your crimes!"

Picho ran forward, wincing with every step as pain shot through his shoulder. "This is for all the lies you've told!" He placed his hands together and a glowing green ball appeared between them. "PK FROST!"

Pichn grabbed his brother as he collapsed to his knees. "This is for hurting my brother!" He gently laid Picho on the ground and pulled out Kirby's sword. With a great flip, he leaped up and lodged the blade into Sorius's shoulder. The Usurper King howled in pain.

Cimar came up next. He grabbed a fallen sword and faced the Usurper without a single shred of mercy. "This is for all the people you killed!" Doing a flip just like Pichn's he lodged the great blade into the Usurper's other shoulder. Another howl filled his ears, but he held on, ignoring the crimson substance as it seeped onto his clothes.

"_And this is for my father!"_ Zelda shrieked. She added her own power into the sword, setting the blade alight with Din's fire. Sorius's pain could not be described as he screamed on and on. Seeing Zelda's example, Picho added a crackle of thunder to his brother's sword. It glowed bright blue and sparks flew through the air.

Rinku was last. Link clenched his jaw as the young man held his sword upright so the tip pointed straight to the ceiling. He could feel the hate and anger that radiated off his guardian in waves. He was taken back in time to the battle so long ago between him and Ganondorf that decided the very future of Hyrule.

The end was near…

"Death is only too good for you…" Rinku hissed. His sword flashed through the air.

Picho added all of Ness's powers to the Blade of Evil's Bane. "For the Smashers!"

"For Hero Link!" Pichn yelled jamming the blade deeper into the man's shoulder before leaping off.

"For Princess Zelda!" Cimar copied Pichn's example and twisted his sword every which way before jumping off and rolling to the side.

Rinku leaped into the air. "FOR HYRULE!"

Ganondorf found himself separated from his guardian, his surrogate body at the moment the Blade of Evil's Bane thrust itself through the chest of Sorius. He was dead now. No longer could he spread his evil all over the world.

He didn't care…

Pit thought he had been the first to be released. What a joke. No, it was he, Ganondorf, that was released first. He had managed to slip out quietly one night after a visit from his goddess, Din.

The golden gates of the Sacred Realm were before him. He reached out and they opened at his touch. Golden light came through and bathed him in warmth.

Finally…

"_Ganondorf!"_

He knew that voice. He turned and there she was, dressed in a gown of pure flames. Her fiery red hair blew behind her, as if it was being lifted by the wind. Her expression was of pure anger.

"_Goddess Din…"_ he knelt before her, _"I have come to the Sacred Realm at last… to repent for my crimes…"_

"_You have had a hundred years and more to repent, Ganondorf,"_ Din said, _"A hundred years to repent…"_

"_And I have, my lady,"_ he said, _"I know my crimes… with great power comes a great price… and I had done everything I could to try to avoid it all my life… but now I pay it with my life…"_

"_Foolish Gerudo,"_ Din snarled, _"Do you not know why it was you, not the angel, that was released first? Do you have any idea why you were given to one of Tabuu's top minions as his Smasher?"_

Ganondorf hung his head in shame. _"Forgive me, Lady Din… I have failed you in my mission…"_

"_You were to lead him off the path of evil,"_ Din continued, her voice just on the edge of anger, _"And instead, you once again submit to it. Where is King Harkinan, Father of the Princess Zelda? His spirit is on the other side of those golden gates, forced to watch as his kingdom succumbed to darkness… __**your**__ darkness!"_

"_Have mercy, Lady Din!"_ the Gerudo King begged, _"Please, allow me to do penance and pass into the Sacred Realm! I do not deserve to live because of all my crimes!"_

"_You do not deserve a thing for your crimes!"_ the goddess cried, _"Death would be too good for you… and yet, if your force continues to exist, your evil may plague the world once again."_

"_Give me another chance!"_ Ganondorf got on his knees, _"Another chance to pay for my crimes! Please, Lady Din, I shall do whatever you ask!"_

Din waved her hand and before Ganondorf, a portal appeared. It showed him the image of a beautiful backdrop of stars. He watched as a small streak of orange and yellow sauntered by, as if weighed down by a great many hardships. A second streak zoomed by, this one deep purple and calmly floating along. In fact, it seemed to radiate a power far beyond mere brawn, a power that very few could master.

"_We give you one last chance…" _Din told him, her expression softening slightly.

Ganondorf walked up to the portal and reached out to it, but stopped. There was a question nagging at his mind and he wondered if the goddess would answer it. Surprised at his boldness, he turned around and faced the goddess burning red eyes, his face unflinching.

"_Goddess Din…"_ he said, _"Will you allow me to ask one final question…?"  
_Din frowned for a moment, but nodded. _"Ask then, Smasher."_

"_Way back when Rinku, Link's guardian was brought before me, I happened to spy the Master Sword. Sorius, my guardian, picked it up, but it did not affect him one bit. During the battle, Rinku was given what seems to be __**another**__ sword! Please, I need to know… why was that…?"_

"_The sword your guardian stole was nothing more than a clever copy, forged by my two sisters," _Din explained, _"It served as a test for the other four guardians to be revealed in Hyrule. If they truly were deserving of the powers of Courage and Wisdom, in addition to the Master Sword, they had to show that they were worthy. They had to show that though their only hope seemed lost, they would still fight to the very end… for in the final battle with Tabuu, they will need such a quality within them to survive…"_ She adjusted her flaming robes. _"And though they have passed the test… you have failed yours, Ganondorf… Do not fail us again, Gerudo King! This is your last chance…"_

And then, she was gone. He found himself floating alongside the two other Smashers. The first one shied away from him slightly and seemed to zoom off as quickly as the wind could carry it. The second acknowledged him with a nod.

Ganondorf's journey of penance had begun…

* * *

**Hey everyone! Let's finish this up with... The Mario!**

_Do the Mario! _

_Swing your arms from side to side. _

_Come on, it's time to go. _

_Do the Mario! _

_Take one step, and then again. _

_Let's do the Mario, all together now! _

_You got it! _

_It's the Mario! _

_Do the Mario! _

_Swing your arms from side to side. _

_Come on, it's time to go. _

_Do the Mario! _

_Take one step, and then again. _

_Let's do the Mario, all together now! _

_Come on now. _

_Just like that! _


	18. Teal, Nao, and Kai

The Weapons of Power

**It's official. I'm running out of title ideas. T_T**

**But anyways, I hope those of you back in school had a nice first day. Mine was excruciatingly painful and full of random boringness that derives from AP classes.**

**Disclaimer: Screw this disclaimer! I have money!

* * *

**

"The girl slowly crept into the room… and opened the door…"

Cimar and the twins leaned in closer to Rinku, their faces full of anticipation and fear. Rinku noticed this and grinned, the lightly tanned skin upon his face seeming to shift eerily in the moonlight. His green tunic was eerily close to the flames, close enough for the loose threads to just barely lick the tongues of the flames. If he leaned any closer, Link knew that he would immediately catch fire.

"It was dark and quiet…" Rinku whispered deviously, "And not a sound could be heard, save for her own footsteps…" His eyes traveled around the group, drinking in everything from Picho and Pichn's wide eyed stares to Cimar's furrowed brows. Obviously, the young man was looking for a way to logically explain the events in the tale Rinku had woven, a tale full of magic and mystery. Link smirked in Rinku's mind. If Cimar hadn't been a bit more accepting of magic as of late, he probably would've started ranting right from the moment Rinku said "magic".

_"This story is pretty ridiculous,"_ Zelda murmured, rolling her eyes. Around the middle of Rinku's story, she had lost complete interest in it and decided to read instead. Cimar's mind was full of novels he had read- and practically memorized- so it wasn't very hard to find some good reading material.

"Sh!" Cimar hissed, "He's getting to the good part!"

"Shut up, Cimar!" Picho whispered an evil grin on his face. "Your boyfriend's getting to the good part!"

Rinku's face suddenly became beet red, illuminated by the orange flames of the small campfire. "Why you little… I'LL KILL YOU!" With that, he leaped upon Picho and grabbed him by the collar. Unfortunately, he had to leap across the fire to do that so he caught on fire almost immediately. "Oh shit… PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!"

Cimar, who had rolled away to save himself recovered from his shock and shook his head. "Uh uh! No way!"

Pichn began laughing. "What's wrong, Cimar? You and Rinku having a lover's spat again?"

Cimar gritted his teeth. "One of these days…"

_"Cimar, now's not the time to be arguing with little boys!"_ Zelda told him, _"You have to help Li- I mean, Rinku!"_

If Cimar noticed the slip up, he didn't indicate it. With a lazy flick of his wrist, a powerful wind suddenly whipped up, picking up the young prince and flinging him right into a nearby pond. Though he came up with mud all over his face, the pond managed to smolder the flames.

_"Looking good, Rinku!"_ Ness laughed. Picho howled with him, adding insult to injury when he flicked a single tongue of PK Fire at Rinku's hair, causing the young man to have to dive again.

"Dammit, you guys! That's no way to treat the Prince of Hyrule!" Rinku sputtered as he stomped out of the pond. There was a fish clinging to his toe, but he got it off with one swift kick. Whether by accident or design, it landed right in Pichn's mouth, who swallowed it whole with one satisfied _burp!_

_"Could use a bit of lemon… and sage!" _Kirby said, smacking his lips appreciatively, _"But it's good!"_

Pichn pretended to look aghast. "Kirby, you are one weird, disgusting, twisted creature… I love it!"

_"Man, ever get the feeling that we're surrounded by lunatics?"_ Link asked as Rinku shook the water out of his pointed ear.

"Trust me, Link… I've grown up surrounded by loonys… compared to that, this is like being in a _small_ asylum…"

After their defeat of Sorius, the four of them immediately left Hyrule Castle, knowing that in a matter of minutes, the lords and ladies would recover and come after them. All four of the Smashers among them knew that they had to get out of Hyrule as soon as possible if they were to escape with their lives, but with little else to do, they had set up camp in the most secluded part of Hyrule field. While Cimar was able to sneak into the library to grab as many reading materials as he could carry, Picho and Pichn had raided both the Royal Kitchens and the Treasury. Thought the kitchens held enough food to last them a month, the Treasury was sadly depleted. Whatever had happened since the reign of Zelda's father had depleted the treasury to such a degree that the boys were able to completely empty it out. It turned out to be only a couple of silver rupees and a strange pack of some kind of battle armor that was too big for the twins to wear.

It was a strange kind of armor indeed. Though it seemed strong enough, it was very, very light and made of a very thin metal. The metal itself was as cold as ice and whiter than snow. It gleamed beautifully in the sun and glowed strangely in the light of the moon. Wherever they put it, it seemed to call out to them, as if begging them to take another look at it. Such a problem was solved when Rinku shoved it as deep as he could in Cimar's pack, burying it underneath the great layers of books.

Everyone but Cimar had all but forgotten about the pack of armor by now. Cimar, however, had poured over it almost obsessively, going through book after book until Rinku had literally pried the thing away from his hands and thrown it into the pond. They had spent the past hour searching for it and luckily, only a few pages were completely unreadable. Still though, Cimar had taken some serious offense to that.

Picho stretched and yawned. "Gee, I'm tired now…" Truth be told, Ness could tell he wasn't. There were plans, lots of them, running around in his guardian's head. And all of them had something to do with pranking the two Hylians in front of him.

Pichn nodded and stretched as well. "Yeah, I'm tired too…" he exchanged glances with his brother. "So we're going to get to bed, okay?"

"Whatever," Rinku muttered, picking up a nearby sword and sharpening it. Link knew that doing such a thing usually calmed a swordsman down and especially after the events in Hyrule Castle, Rinku could use the rest and relaxation.

"Fine with me," Cimar told them, not looking up from his book. None of the other guardians were surprised to see one coat of the armor they had found stretched across his lap.

Pichn shifted uncomfortably. "Well… yeah… night!" He dashed into the tent.

"And _behave_ you two!" Picho said with a wink before he too ran in, howling with laughter. Rinku threw the rock he was using to sharpen with after him, but missed. Cursing, he grabbed another rock from nearby and began running it up and down the blade of the sword, his tense muscles relaxing with every scrape of the stone upon the blade.

For what seemed like hours, silence fell between the two. Though both Link and Zelda wanted desperately to talk through them, they both knew that one talk would lead to one kiss and then… as tempted as they were, Cimar and Rinku both had a reputation to keep. Besides…

They couldn't ruin everything for them.

Though the two did their best to stay awake, it became harder and harder as time moved on. Rinku suddenly found himself sharpening the sword with slowly decreasing vigor. The stone hung loosely in his hand and fell, but he didn't bother picking it back up. His eyelids drooped as he allowed the warmth radiating from the fire to engulf him. He was asleep before Link realized just what was happening. Smiling to himself, the Hero of Twilight emerged from his mind as a translucent spirit, completely unseen and unfelt by all.

Cimar was reading the same sentence over and over again by the time he finally let go and he too fell asleep. Zelda was out and about even before his light snores reached her ears. She knew Link was out here, she could _sense_ his presence. She needed to speak with him and speak now, knowing that this moment with him might be the last ones they have alone together.

After all, it's a bit hard to stop and rest while you're on the run…

She found him by the pond, but whether he was sitting or floating, she couldn't tell. He was trying to skip stones, but never got past the step where you had to pick up the stone itself. His transparent hand kept passing through the stone and every time it did, Zelda could tell that the frustration built a little more in him.

It took him a while, but he eventually looked up at her. The moment they locked eyes, Zelda felt a great electrical surge in her. It empowered her and filled her, calming the princess, yet energizing her all at once. If she had a heart, she knew that it would be racing like a jackrabbit at that moment.

There was no doubt she loved him.

_"What brings you here, Princess?"_ he asked, cocking his head.

Zelda sat down next to him, thankful that her translucent body prevented her blushing. _"I… You… I…"_ She squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze, _"I just wanted to speak with you, Link…"_

_"Speak then, Princess…"_ he said gently, his voice hiding just the smallest hint of urging.

Zelda took a deep breath to steady herself before she spoke. _"… That moment in the courtyard… during Rinku's execution…"_

It was Link's turn to be thankful that he couldn't blush. He looked down at the ground, not wanting to meet her eyes. _"Oh… right…"_

_"Link, I need to know… did you really… did you really mean what you were about to do…?" _ The princess braced herself for rejection. She sat there, waiting for Link to leap up and deny it, telling her to stop dreaming so much and get back to the real world.

_"… I… yes…"_ his voice was sad, bitter almost. But there was something behind the sadness and the bitterness that only the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom could see. It a longing, a passion that had remained lodged within for a very, very long time. The desperate want to fulfill this passion, the need to _live_ for the longing. All of that was in his voice and alone of all the people in the world, Zelda could tell what it was.

_"Link…"_ Zelda moved her hand to clasp his, surprised at her boldness. The Hero gave no sign that he was uncomfortable with this, nor did he shake her hand away. He only watched as their fingers intertwined and pulled her closer to him, almost into an embrace.

And there the two Hylians stayed, locked within each other's arms. Nothing in the world could possibly tear them apart, absolutely nothing. They sat together under the starlit sky, all the cares and concerns they knew they had to face all but forgotten. All that mattered was that they were alive and together. They were living a dream and they never wanted to wake up.

Neither of them noticed when the wind took on a strange melody, as if it was blowing upon the holes of a small instrument lost in time. Neither of them noticed when the entire camp of the Hylians was engulfed in a dome of light and began to float upwards towards the sky. Above all, neither of them noticed when a strange voice began to sing along to the tune of the wind, a haunting melody that only Ness and Kirby could hear:

_Audi famam illuis,_

_Solus in hostes ruit,_

_Et patriam sevavit…

* * *

_

Green was the first to find the question block. It wasn't very hard to miss, but the last ten million were full of nothing but coins. And when you only really had one life in this world, there was no reason for you to keep all those coins around. Luigi couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy that there seemed to be only one question block in the entire castle and the enemies were pretty minimal. Then again, Sonic was with them and he had used his great speed to take out loads of Bowser's troops.

The group had been travelling between worlds for hours now and it was starting to get dark. But this didn't matter to the group, seeing as they were stuck in Bowser's castle, which was supposed to be the last location in the eight worlds. Though MS's and Green's Smasher inherited powers had worked fine before, they were now completely useless.

Bowser's castle was a formidable place, crawling with twisted beasts and magic darker than anything ever seen. It was with this black magic that Bowser was able to limit Mario to only the power ups he could find along the rode rather than the powers he had developed from training countless times with the Smashers.

Green was just about to hit it when MS jumped right on top of his head and smashed his fist into the block instead. A tiny crack appeared from where the young man's fist hit the block.

_"This is-a it…"_ Luigi whispered, _"A Super Mushroom, a Fire Flower, anything-a…" _A white light appeared around the question box, growing in intensity and brightness with each passing second. All three guardians were forced to shield their eyes at the growing light. Luigi felt a surge of jubilation in him for the first time since they had entered this dreaded castle, a sense of peace that could only derive from knowing that their salvation was near.

Luigi bounced with excitement as the light began to fade away, revealing the shape of something large and round. Was it a Super Mushroom? A Fire Flower? A Helicopter Mushroom? Luigi eagerly leaned forward just as the light faded…

...and revealed a single gold coin.

"DAMMIT, MS!" Green shouted angrily, "You jinxed it! We could be Fire Mario and Fire Luigi right now!"

"Jinxed it?" MS asked, offended, "I did us a favour… now we can beat Bowser like real men!" He pointed to the great oak doors in front of him, the ones that blocked their way to the final boss of the castle.

Bowser…

"But I thought you wanted to throw more fireballs!" Green argued.

MS blinked. "… I WANNA REDO THAT QUESTION BLOCK!"

"Guys…" Miles said.

"I _told_ you! I _told _you we should've stopped by those mushroom houses first! But nooooo! You had to use that Warp Flute we found and now we're stuck here in this _freaking_ castle with _no_ power ups, and-"

"Well… it's _you're_ fault for… for being the guardian of what's-his-face instead of someone _useful_!"

"Well, insulting me won't get you any fireballs, so you can just go suck-"

"GUYS!" Miles shouted. MS and Green stopped arguing long enough to look at him.

"Sissies throw fireballs at Bowser," Miles said slowly, "Real men go for the switch right next to him that makes him fall down!"

"So you're saying that the Mario Brothers are a bunch of sissies?" a snide voice asked, "FINALLY! Someone agrees with me!"

Mario and Luigi knew that voice. It was an all too familiar voice, the voice of a certain spoiled little brat that they had to deal with numerous times. Out of all the children of Bowser, it was this one that they remembered most. The one known for his deadly skills with the paintbrush and his equally as deadly weight. Luigi trembled in fear at the mere thought of such a monstrosity, knowing that the whirling sound coming closer and closer to them could only mean one thing…

Bowser Jr. approached them.

The Koopa kid didn't look like he aged a day. By now, he should've been an adult at least. Slowly, the eye color of the guardians changed all around until the familiar blue and bright green gazed back at the Koopa. Mario frowned in confusion, not registering how on earth Bowser's son continued to stay young for so long. Bowser Jr. must've noticed this look as his black eyes gleamed in evil triumph and he laughed a truly evil laugh.

"Oh, you're wondering why I'm not an old guy like you people? Well, since Dad got pwned, I struck a deal with Tabuu to save my ass! So anyways, he said if I ever find anyone with a pretty little sparkle or something in their eye, I have to squish them!" his eyes travelled over each of the three guardians in turn, creating a rather unsettling feeling in the air. "And I see three pairs of sparkly eyes right HERE!"

MS and Green took a step back, they're eyes slowly changing from their respective colours to identical light blue. Meanwhile, Miles blinked once and his eyes were green. Sonic had always been the first for pretty much everything and that included switching minds with his guardian.

"You're not-a getting away with-a this, Junior!" Mario shouted, "Your father shall be told-a of your treachery!"

Bowser Jr. snorted. "That old coot? I gave up on him long ago! Around the time I wised up and joined Tabuu! I thought my dad was a great god or something…" for a moment, regret could be heard dripping from the young Koopa's voice, almost as if he was about to cry. But this soon vanished and he became the snide brat the Mario Brothers knew him to be. "But Tabuu opened my eyes to how stupid and pathetic Dad really was!" Bowser Jr.'s large meaty hand moved towards a small red button on his dashboard. "So I'm going to do what my dad was never able to do… I'm going to destroy the Mario Brothers… ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

"Junior, don't-a do this!" Luigi begged, "Your father would-a be ashamed-a!"

"My dad would be a lot of things…" Bowser Jr. whispered angrily, fat tears rolling down his cheeks, "If he hadn't gone to that stupid tournament… if he just listened to my ideas… he would've been something… but he's gone now… and he's not coming back…" His bottom lip trembled, "I remember… I remember when I would come up with a great idea and he does it all wrong… then he blamed it on me…" Bowser Jr. wiped his nose, "I was never good enough for him…but…" his beady eyes darkened.

"But I'm going to prove to my dad that I _am_ good enough to rule an evil empire! I'm going to show him… I'LL SHOW YOU ALL!" without another word, he slammed his fist into the button and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

The ground began to rumble and shake. Right before the three Smashers' eyes, the floor began to crack underneath them. They could see the oceans of lava underneath, the endless bottomless pits that the great castle had done its best to hide from them. Luigi leaped a foot in the air as a huge chunk of the ceiling landed so close to him it barely scratched his elbow. All around them, great stones fell like rain from the ceiling, hailing down on the three heroes with almost lifelike ferocity.

Sonic was the first to recover his sense. "You guys… WERE TOO SLOW!" summoning up all the speed he had left in his feet, the blue hedgehog took off, becoming a dark blur as he raced away. Mario and Luigi stood there blinking for a moment before they began running as well.

"Stay with-a me, Luigi!" Mario shouted at the top of his lungs as he leaped over great fallen stones and just narrowly avoid the Thwomps as they tried to smother him to bits. He could hear Luigi's fearful breathing behind him as his little brother was forced to jump higher than he had ever jumped and run even faster. Without a single power up mushroom on them, the Mario brothers both felt quite weak and defenceless. While Mario knew he could handle himself without the mushroom, he worried a lot more for Luigi, who had continually relied on the powerful mushrooms over the years. What was more, Sonic was definitely not helping!

In fact, Sonic was only a few yards in front of Mario at the moment. Not being the strongest thing in the world, Sonic was having trouble clearing the giant pillar that had fallen in front of him. Though he pushed and pulled with all his might, the stupid thing wouldn't budge!

"Sonic, you **_need_**_ the Mario Brothers!"_ Miles urged.

"No way!" the hedgehog huffed, "I can handle pretty well on my own!" he continued pushing and kicking at the great stone, his tiny amount of strength not sufficient enough to push the giant pillar.

Mario rolled to the side to avoid one of the many Bowser statues that lined the corridor they were in. Up ahead, he could see Sonic struggling with a few rocks, but he could not move them. Though the plumber wanted to help him, his first concern was Luigi. A stab of fear overtook the plucky plumber when he looked around for his brother and realised he wasn't there.

"Luigi! Luigi, where are you!" he shouted, his voice lost in the roar of lava and the cracking of stone. Not one, but two huge Bowser heads landed on either side of him as Mario ran about, searching for the little brother he had sworn to protect. Running as fast as his short legs would carry him, Mario nimbly dodged all of the falling stone to find his brother.

_Crack!_

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

_"It's what's- his- face!"_ MS shouted, recognising the voice. Mario skidded to a halt and looked around, searching for his brother.

"Luigi! Luigi, where are you, bro!"

"Mario…" a weak voice answered, just barely audible in the din. Mario skidded underneath a great arch of lava as it came up for him and spied Luigi, his legs pinned under a great pillar. Luigi was a mess, with blood and soot all over his face. What was more, his face was twisted in pain as he struggled to wrench himself free of his trap.

"Luigi!" Mario grabbed him and pulled, but his legs held fast. Behind him, Sonic had stopped struggling with the pillar and instead ran around as fast as he could to avoid the cracks and the lava. _"Luigi! Are you alright-a!"_ He reeled back in surprise and horror as a single tear fell from Luigi's eye.

"Brother…" Luigi sobbed, his tears mingling with his blood, "Oh my brother… my dear, dear brother… this might be the end-a…"

"Luigi…" Mario felt a lump form in his throat. "Luigi… we can-a do this… don't-a give up now, Luigi…"

"How, Bro? How…?" Luigi shifted his weight again, his face twisting in pain as his legs were further crushed by the great rock. "Even if we… even if we somehow survive-a this… we have no way to get-a home… how are we going to go back-a to Smashville-a?"

Even Mario couldn't explain how.

"Brother… you have-a to leave me…" Luigi whispered.

_"We'll just slow them down,"_ Green agreed, _"Two out of three is better than nothing…"_

Mario was aghast. "Luigi!"

_"We can't leave Green behind! … he still owes me five bucks! And I demand to see some fireballs! I WANT MY FIREBALLZ!"_

Luigi firmly shook his head. "Brother… they need you in Smashville-a… they don't need-a me… they can't even remember my name-a…"

The rocks crashed around them, sending up drops of lava as they fell into the great ravine below. Sonic was still running, but his eyes were wide with fear. Sooner or later, his speed would fail him somehow and he'd fall down. Despite all of this, Mario kept a firm grip on Luigi's hands.

"I'm-a not leaving without you!" Mario shouted firmly, "We'll find a way, I know it-a!"

"Brother, just go!" Luigi begged as a rock narrowly missed Mario's head, "GO!"

Mario pulled and pulled, but Luigi was stuck and couldn't budge. Tears of frustration and anger streamed down the plumber's cheeks at the thought of him having to leave behind his little brother, the one family he had left. He felt a power surge past him, a power he had not felt since he had last soared through the stars among the Lumas, a power that only the most powerful of all beings could possess.

Mario's eyes widened in surprise as he looked to his right, where a single Red Star floated serenely right next to him. Above him, he saw a great gaping hole, just big enough to fit three people…

Or two plumbers and a hedgehog.

Mario reached out one hand and grabbed the star, but he didn't squeeze it hard enough to absorb the power. Instead, he turned back to Luigi, who was staring in awe at the power that had been blessed to his brother in their time of need. Mario held out his hand, where he knew lay the strength that would help both him and Luigi free themselves from this dangerous dungeon and take them back to Smashville.

The power of the Red Star was theirs.

"Luigi…" Mario opened his palm, where the Red Star continued to float, "Luigi… I need you with-a me…"

Luigi shook his head. "Bro… that power is-a yours… I was never able to master it-a…"

Mario smiled. "Luigi… I can't-a do this without you… you're a Mario Brother, after all…" he looked up to the sky, where the hole had widened considerably. Sonic ran up to them and joined the brothers, unsure of what to do. But Mario reached out his hand to Luigi.

"There are_ two_ Mario Brothers…"

* * *

They were losing…

It was the only thing that was evident in this fight…

The guardians were losing and soon enough, every single one of them would be defeated. All of them, from young Beeh to strong, mature Heather, would fall at the hands of the most feared fighting group in all the known worlds. Every guardian that dared stood up against Tabuu in this era would be rooted up and destroyed.

Was there no way to turn this fight around? Was their no saviour in their midst?

It was time for their true power to arise within them…

It was time for the guardians to reach Mount Smash at last…

_"Pikana! Watch out!_" Pikachu yelled as the girl was slammed against a tree by Mario, who had decided to help Princess Peach fight against them when he realised that she was actually in the most danger. Though she still lacked her Dragon Stone, Traca proved herself to be proficient with wielding a stick like a sword and Eric and Psyche had both improved their aim with Aura Sphere and Palutena's Arrows respectively.

But it was the three- man team of Heather, Sakura, and Pikana that had truly turned this fight around. In fact, their threatening efforts were so great that Heather had been forced to break away from the group to battle Mario. Pikachu watched in fascination as the Wolfon used a combination of melee attacks with her sword and staff to parry most of Mario's punches while at the same time trying to find an opening. Pikachu couldn't help but wonder if part of Wolf's former fighting prowess was beginning to show itself in Heather as well. The mouse Pokemon turned his attention back on Peach, who was battling fiercely against Sakura, both women using their golf clubs like swords.

_"I can't find an opening anywhere on her!" _Pikachu said worriedly, _"And she's supposed to be the weakest one…" _He leaped a foot in the air and slammed his noggin against the ceiling of Pikana's mind as the body of a young boy with green streaked hair sailed past him, the boy's black bazooka falling to the ground. In the distance, he saw Bowser wipe his hands in satisfaction before turning to Cam and Nask, who were trying to tag team him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Psyche, Pit's guardian, wrench Palutena's Bow apart into two blades and dashed forward with them, intending to stab the woman in pink. Her eyes flashed determined deep brown as she aimed a powerful upwards stab towards Peach's chin. Pikachu looked away, not wanting to see the tip of the sword collide with the once kind princess's face.

_Wham!_

Pikachu uncovered his eyes in surprise. Mario had leaped in and caught Psyche's attack with one hand, as if she was attacking with nothing more than a leaf. With a powerful twist to her arm, the plumber instead drove the blade downwards to catch Heather in the back of her leg as the Wolfon ran past.

Pikachu watched in horror as the razor sharp tip of Palutena's Bow broke the deathly pale skin upon Heather's left leg, causing blood to ooze out of the resulting gash. It wasn't a very deep cut, but it was enough to send Heather's blood gushing out of the wound like a fountain.

The Wolfon's scream ripped through the air as she fell to the ground, her face a twist of pain.

"HEATHER!" Psyche screamed, dodging Mario's incoming fist to kneel down beside her fallen comrade. Eric took it upon himself to protect the girl as he abandoned his tactic of throwing aura spheres around and instead switched to Lucario's Force Palm attack and high powered karate moves. Sakura soon joined him as well, leaving Traca alone to deal with Peach and her fearsome golf club and frying pan combo at Tabuu's hands.

Eric slapped his aura covered hand to his forehead. "Aw man! We just bandaged that leg!" Though it didn't hurt him all that much to feel the sting of his own aura, it was a pretty strange feeling all the same. Lucario continued using his powers to manipulate the aura around him, hoping to somehow energize his guardian.

_"We will have to unleash every we've got if we are to defeat our enemy,"_ Lucario said quietly, staying in his meditative position even when Eric had to Force Palm Mario right in the nose to prevent him from approaching the small group of girls.

"Tell me something I don't know!"

_"Very well…"_ Lucario paused before answering, _"Aly stole your mashed potatoes last Tuesday."_

Eric's jaw dropped. "I sabotaged _Mars'_ guns for that! Oh that girl… she's going to get it someday! _No one_ touches my taters!"

Mario ran forward to meet him, his hand a great ball of flames. The two men met in the center, blue and red flames interlocked in a deadly game of chance. Eric gritted his teeth as he and Mario exchanged blows, knowing that one false move would cost both him and Lucario their lives. Meanwhile, the jet black aura that surrounded Mario never faded, indicating that somewhere and somehow, the plumber was gaining more and more energy while the guardians' drained with every passing second.

All around them, the fights were going horribly wrong. Blood was spattered everywhere the eye could see. And as if that wasn't enough, guardian after guardian was being dragged off to the sidelines, covered in gashes and bruises. Some struggled while others simply stayed still.

Eric watched as one of the guardians, a boy with a red scarf covering his face dragged a fellow guardian off the battlefield. She was the Pokemon trainer, a girl who looked no older than fourteen. There was a heavy gash on one cheek, as well as a great gaping wound just above her left eye. She argued with the young man dragging her away, but he paid no heed to her complaints.

"Let me stay!" she shouted, "My Pokemon are fine! Let go!"

"Yeah, your Pokemon may be fine, but _you're_ not, kid," he answered gruffly, "stay here and if you have to fight, actually _let_ your Pokemon do the fighting for you instead of trying to get hand to hand again, alright?"

She stuck his tongue out at him. "Jerkface!"

The boy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I get that all the time…"

Eric winced slightly at what happened next. With one swift chop, the boy whacked the girl in exactly the right spot and she crumpled to the ground where she lay unmoving. It didn't take long for the boy to turn around and catch Eric's disapproving glare, as well as the sudden flare in the aura surrounding him as Lucario's reaction to such an action shown through as well.

"What?" he asked with a shrug. "It's for her own good!"

Eric shook his head. "Nothing…"

Mario leaped up above him and prepared his fiery fist, aiming straight for his head. The pilot countered just in time with an aura covered arm and once again, the two were locked in the deadliest game of chance. Blue clashed with red, aura with power. But in their heart of hearts, every guardian in the clearing knew…

… There was no way they could win…

* * *

"Heather… Heather… stay with me…" Psyche sobbed, the Bow of Palutena all but forgotten on the ground beside her. Pit looked around worriedly as bodies and who knows what else flew all around them. As much as he hated to admit it, he was scared. Completely and utterly scared. This fear ate at him, feeding the anger at himself that had slowly built up over the years of being stuck inside a jar and seeming to mock him for everything he had ever done.

A fear he had not felt since his time in the Underworld.

_"Psyche, step away from her!"_ he ordered. Heather was shaking like crazy, almost as if she was trying her best to suppress something. Pit already knew from first hand experience that the rage of the Wolfon was horribly lethal. If Black Heather was let out…

… none would survive.

_"Hey, aren't you listening, girl!"_ he demanded, _"Step away from the Wolfon!"_

"Shut up, Pit!" she shrilled angrily, "You can't tell me what to do!"

_"Like Hell I can!"_ he shot back, _"Look, I'm not the type of guy to just sit around while people who are… close to me put themselves in danger…"_

"… You… you do care…?" for a moment, Psyche forgot all about Heather and looked up, where she knew Pit was sitting somewhere, unable to fight or frankly control her body because she wouldn't allow it.

The angel squirmed uncomfortably in his guardian's mind, thankful that she couldn't see the red already building up in his cheeks. _"Uh… well… I- WATCH OUT!"_

"Out of my way!"

An ebony haired boy leaped in front of both Psyche and Heather, shielding the two with nothing but a strangely glowing sword. Mario, who had thrown Eric to the side and had come running at them, was forced back slightly, but not enough to jar him. Mario came running at Wrath again, this time with fire simply flying through the air like bullets.

That was when the song started…

_Audi famam illuis,_

_Solus in hostes ruit,_

_Et patriam sevavit…_

_"Again, Wrath?"_ Meta Knight asked, staring in amazement as the pommel of his sword blasted light into the air. Wrath could only stare as a great beam of light was released from his sword, shooting up into the sky like a great shooting star. Just as the beam was about to touch the clouds above, it exploded in a huge shower of sparks, sending them raining down upon the guardians in torrents.

One by one, as the sparks gently kissed their wounds, they began to heal. One by one, the blood, bruises, and exhaustion faded from the faces of the last hopes of Smashville. One by one, the true power of the guardians was revealed, some through a sudden surge of energy while others through a single accidental hit.

"EAT MAH BAZOOKA, BITCH!" Pikana screamed from nearby, her little body revitalized as she leaped in front of Wrath and started chasing Mario around the clearing.

Wrath looked back at Heather, watching as she stood up and experimentally flexed her muscles. No longer were they small and rather stringy from days of malnutrition. Now they were large and strong, almost exactly how they were the day long ago when she had been dragged into the throne room of Tabuu's palace and condemned to be hanged.

"Amazing…" Wrath murmured, "… You look like you've just walked out of the gym, Miss Heather…"

The familiar, cocky Wolfon Smile appeared on Heather's face. "You have no idea…" then, with a swift twirl of her staff, she swung it around in a wide arc and rammed Mario on the head with it as he ran past. Pikana took this chance to blast Bazookie at his limp form until Sakura ran up with a golf club in hand.

Wrath and Meta Knight both felt a surge of energy as their own metabolism was buffed up. They watched as Mario's body flew like a rag doll into the blue, illuminated by a shining ray of golden light.

The first ray of hope to show itself in Smashville in a hundred years…

* * *

_"Use Charizard! CHARIZARD!"_ Red shouted over the noise as all pandemonium began. Lin wrenched a Pokeball from her belt and threw out the Fire Pokemon, its flames happily licking her feet. She pointed to her target: Yoshi.

"FLAMETHROWER!"

The dinosaur leaped into the air, wagging its tongue at Lyn as it landed far away. The flamethrower had missed badly and he was choosing the time to taunt her for it. Gritting her teeth in anger, Lyn pointed at Yoshi again and ordered another flamethrower. Again, it missed.

Sam saw this and rolled his eyes, grinning. "You're doing it all wrong! You should hit him like… THIS!" He swung his katana blades at Yoshi, who grabbed one with his tongue and managed to twist it out of the boy's grip. But nothing could prepare Mario's ally for the brutal stab in the stomach from the second katana.

Joe ran forward now and grabbed Yoshi by his tail and slammed him against a tree. Making sure to keep him pinned against the tree, he delivered a swift punch to his face and ducked as Golfer open fired on it. Captain Falcon, usually one to live for glory was disappointed that Joe didn't use his trademark Falcon Punch.

_"You're my guardian!"_ he insisted as Joe sat back slightly and watched Golfer shooting at Yoshi, _"You're supposed to use the Falcon PAWNCH to end battles dramatically!"_

Before Joe could answer, Golfer had grabbed Yoshi and tied him up. He, Sam, and Lyn were now using the dinosaur's tongue to slam him into a tree and back like a paddle ball. Of course, it wasn't long before Joe got bored of watching them and ran forward just as the Yoshi ball came sailing his way.

"Falcon… PAWNCH!"

Flames burst forth from his fist at the moment it made contact with Yoshi's giant snout. With a shriek of pain and despair, the dinosaur went flying out of sight and out of the battle. Joe wiped his hands, satisfied. Though his Falcon Punch wasn't nearly as powerful as the captain's he thought he did quite well.

Meanwhile, Sakura, Psyche, Traca, and Eric were still battling Peach. Though the three of them were strong, the princess was equal to them in strength and speed. It also didn't help that Eric and Lucario were arguing the entire time. Lucario refused to let Eric hit her because she was a girl.

_"We may be warriors, Eric, but we still have morals," _the Pokemon insisted.

"Morals my foot! This is war here! How am I going to be able to fight if I can't hit any girls!"

_"Morals, Eric, morals,"_ Lucario said quietly, _"Besides, how would you feel if you were a girl and you got hit?"_

"Are you implying something…?"

_"Yes, yes I am."_

"Screw you!"

Traca grabbed onto Peach's arms and wrenched them behind the princess's back, causing the woman to shriek in pain. Psyche sent an arrow straight through her throat to silence her, plus a half a dozen more through her head to knock her out. Even Pit had to admit that her aim was quite good now, but he still hated how she almost tripped every time she shifted position.

_"Sakura, now's your chance!"_ Peach shouted excitedly. Always being the damsel in distress when it came to Mario's missions, she was quite excited by the prospect of being the heroine for once.

Sakura twirled her golf club in one hand, smirking. "I thought you'd never ask!" she dashed forward and thrust her golf club into the princess's side, propelling her right out of Traca's arms and off to the side. Before the woman could react, Sakura's golf club smashed into her side again and sent her ricocheting off every tree in the clearing.

"Here I come!" Peach cried out excitedly. Sakura readied her club like a baseball bat and prepared for impact.

_Wham!_

"Home run!" Pikana cheered as she blasted her bazooka at Peach's retreating figure. There was an explosion and a dark shape hurtled out into the blue and out of the fight. Pikana twirled Bazookie in one hand and smirked, satisfied with her handy work.

Meanwhile, the group fighting Bowser had turned back to the fight with a renewed vigour the great koopa hadn't seen before. With every swipe of his claw, another ten blows counteracted it. The turtle was enraged, his many roars rattling bones for miles around.

All around him Nask, Cameron, Wrath, Squall, and Ridere fought their hardest, but the Koopa was their equal in strength. Multiple projectiles from Squall and Ridere only served to anger the Koopa even more, but what really got him were all the Pikmin running around him as Beeh continued to lob them at him from a distance.

_"Beeh, we can't do this forever!"_ Olimar pointed out, _"We need a plan… something can will catch him off guard…"_

Beeh frowned in confusion and looked down at the chain of six Pikmin at her feet. Olimar had told her earlier about how they could be used as a chain or a rope, allowing her to throw a chain of them out to grab onto ledges and stuff in a tight spot. She reached down and gently stroked the leaf of a purple one, wondering if they could be used for something else. Without thinking, she picked up the Pikmin and placed it near its fellows, where they began weaving a long chain for her to use.

Well, it was worth a shot.

"Pikmin Lasso!" she shouted, twirling the lasso of little creatures through the air before launching it with a great _whoosh!_ Bowser didn't know what hit him as the chain wrapped around his neck, pulling the little girl through the air until she landed right on top of him. The other five guardians watched in utter shock as Beeh grabbed the Pikmin chain on both sides and wrenched it upwards, hoping to stall Bowser as he attempted to swipe at Cameron. Unfortunately, her strength was not enough and it wasn't long before Cameron went flying to the side.

Meta Knight knew what she was trying to do. The girl was trying to pull back Bowser's head and reveal one of his weak points: his neck. With that exposed, they would be able to take him down and end this fight once and for all. The only thing was, she was too weak to wrench him back and it didn't help that Bowser's stubby arms were now flailing every which way in an attempt to get her off.

_"Wrath, now is your chance! You must help the young lady!"_ Meta Knight shouted. Wrath blinked stupidly, still transfixed by the sight of the young girl tugging on the Pikmin chain around Bowser's neck as though they were reins. The Star Warrior grew impatient. _"WRATH!"_

"Huh?" his guardian finally came back to earth. "Oh… right!" sheathing his sword, Wrath grabbed onto one of Bowser's flailing arms and used it to wrench himself up upon the Koopa's head. He relieved Beeh of one of the chains, and tugged it, but even with his strength, the turtle did not wrench back like he had hoped.

Ridere saw this and copied Wrath's example, only he used Snake's helicopter instead and landed lightly on Bowser's shell. Careful to avoid the spikes, the boy grabbed onto Wrath's end of the chain and pulled with everything he had. But though he was a master at aiming, his strength did little more than irritate Bowser even more. The King of Koopas screamed his hatred of this treatment to the world and beyond. But though the man power of three guardians pulled their hardest, it was still not enough.

_"Nask, get up there!"_ Marth shouted as Squall used his Hookshot and grabbed onto Beeh's end of the chain. It took him a moment to realise that Nask wasn't moving at all. _"Nask? Nask! Helloooooo?"_

But Nask only gaped open mouthed at the boy yanking at the Pikmin chain, her eyes following his eyes movement and strain. Her Naginata hung loosely in her hand as a lump appeared in her throat. Her emotions became a storm in her mind and it took all of Marth's strength to plant his feet into the ground and prevent himself from being blown away. He could feel her disbelief, her anger, and her sadness smashing against him like tsunamis, taste the bile in her mouth from the shock she had just received. Her heart rate increased tenfold, but there was nothing he could do. The Prince of Altea could only watch as Nask's memories went out of control.

He saw the same scene in the castle long ago, but this time, the boy Nask had said was her little brother could be seen very clearly now. He was a short little kid with quick reflexes and from what he could gather from how fast he was solving the Rubix cube he was holding, an even quicker wit. Marth watched as his small, nimble fingers quickly turned the dials on the little contraption and in a matter of seconds, the mess of clashing colours became whole once more. He watched as the boy- still holding the cube- ran up to his sister and opened his mouth.

"NASK!"

That was definitely not Ridere's voice. Nask snapped out of her reverie in time to see Cam dashing over to her, Sigmund out and gleaming in the light. He was covered in mud.

Cameron looked once at the still thrashing Bowser before turning back to his long time companion, not missing how pale she was at the moment. "Hey, you okay?"

Marth felt his guardian flinch startlingly before composing herself. "O-Of course! Never better!" in spite of herself, her voice shook.

If Cameron heard her stuttering, he gave no indication he did. He followed her gaze to where Ridere stood, his face straining from pulling on the heavy Pikmin chain. For a moment, he considered telling her who that boy was. He decided against it at the last moment.

_"Why are you doing this to her?"_ Ike asked, _"She deserves to know, you know…"_

Cameron looked back at Nask, who had turned her attention back on the little boy. There was _something_ in her stare that told him there was no need for words. In spite of Ike's protests, Cameron shook his head.

"I think… I think she's got an awful lot on her shoulders right now…" he said quietly, "Besides… she's a smart girl… she can figure it out…" he cleared his throat and addressed Nask. "That kid seems nice. You should get to know him."

Nask blinked and nearly dropped her weapon. "Huh?"

Cameron laughed, "Alright, I see how it is…" in response to her confused stare, he raised the Legendary Thunder Blade in the air, as if saluting her. "Ready to finish this?"

Nask smiled and raised her Naginata. "I am if you are…"

The two waited until Bowser's thrashing arms revealed his flabby neck, the one weak spot upon his body that was not covered by his shell. The four guardians on top of the Koopa strained and pulled at the chain while the Pikmin struggled to hold it together. Together, the two raised their weapons, Nask's Naginata radiating ice from its blade while Sigmund crackled with thunder. Power and determination flashed from behind the two guardians' eyes, as did something else, a power so potent that no force on earth could wash it away.

Sparks flew, ice shards soared through the sky. But what the two focused on at this moment in time was the great thrashing enemy before them as he roared in pain and confusion, ignoring the obvious danger in front of him. Then again, none of them noticed when the mysterious song that had guided them all this time began wafting through the air again.

Cameron and Nask ran forward at the same time, their two weapons aimed right at Bowser's one weak point.

"FRIGID SPARK STRIKE!"

* * *

Ganondorf scowled and looked over his shoulder at the trembling little boy in the back while Mewtwo zoomed on ahead. _"Get up here you little twerp! You're holding us back!"_

The blonde boy, who was reminiscing in the back let out a low sigh. _"You go ahead, Ganondorf… I'll be fine…"_

_"Like Hell you won't be!"_ the King of Evil snarled, _"Remember the last time you told us to leave you behind? Half of the __Smash__Mansion__ was blown up!"_

Lucas shook his head. _"I already told you guys that it wasn't my fault Snake forgot to put away the Bo-ombs after his match…"_

_"But you were still a clumsy oaf!"_ Ganondorf scoffed, _"And that's that!"_ With that, he took off, leaving Lucas behind. As the boy's sobs reached the Gerudo's ears, he couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of guilt in his heart as he floated along. But he squashed this guilt like a defenseless fairy. He was the King of Evil for crying out loud! He may be on a penance journey, but that didn't mean that he had to treat _everyone_ nicely…

… Right?

Meanwhile, Lucas was still immersed in his own sadness. Ganondorf yelling at him for everything had been pretty much routine ever since that incident with the Bo- ombs. By now, he was used to it. But it really pained him to think that the King of Evil still seemed to hate him to this day, even though the boy had helped him with his chores many times.

"I guess people never change…"

Lucas was just about to press on until he felt a rather strange tug at his gut. Many of the older Smashers had described such a sensation to him before, but he never thought such a sensation would be this… strange… nonetheless, the older Smashers had advised that he followed it, so the boy did so without complaint. Holding his breath, he dived.

Lucas had always disliked the ways leaves got in his face and this was no exception. Being in the center of a great forest, it was only natural that he would be getting an awful lot of leaves in his face.

But that still didn't mean he had to like it.

Lucas soon found himself in a tiny clearing, occupied by nothing except a single tent, a couple of small backpacks, a campfire, and three people. Well, "people" was a bit of an understatement…

One of the people was a human for sure. Even though he had pink hair, which was rather unusual by human standards, Lucas had to remember that it had been a hundred years since he had last seen any form of hair. The young man was rather plain in appearance, wearing all white from head to toe. But what was possibly one of the most striking features about him were his eyes. They were silver, the color of a freshly sharpened sword. He was leaning lazily against a rock, but his eyes remained wide and alert.

The second being in the clearing was definitely a Lucario, no doubt about it. Lucas knew the sight of the Aura Pokemon anywhere, but what he was doing all the way out here, he didn't understand. But that was when a closer look at him told the boy that this was not the Lucario he knew.

For one thing, the fur of the Lucario was dark red and black. Unlike the blue one Lucas knew, his eyes were emerald green. A black hooded denim vest covered his chest, emphasized by the large golden ankh necklace glittering at his neck. He seemed to be meditating as his aura flared up alarmingly at various times as Lucas continued to stare at him. Despite this, Lucas felt a sense of calming peace, the same kind of peace he often felt when the Lucario he knew was around him.

Though the other two were interesting, it was the one who sat to the right of the Lucario that the force was radiating from. He was a rather unusual looking character, a wolf in fact. He was covered from head to toe in rough gray fur, with a few white streaks. His blue eyes darted back and forth, as if he was on the watch for something. Clad in blue shorts, white sneakers, and a matching light blue hoodie, he looked like a much more casual version of Wolf. Perhaps his less hostile younger brother…

_"Will you two kindly relax?"_ the Lucario asked, using telepathy to speak.

"Dude, there's some random blue _idiot_ chasing after us for no good reason-"

_"Except maybe the fact that you stole something from him…"_

"Oh, shut up, Kai!"

_"I'm only being realistic, Nao…"_

"Anyways, so yeah, there's an idiot after us and he's probably got a huge army on our tail right now, and-" Nao groaned when he was interrupted yet again.

_"Really? From what I could tell from what you stole, he'd be a lot more interested in those 'Guardians' and use his armies to try to hunt them__ down rather than trying to hunt down three random guys-" _Kai couldn't hold back a chuckle as Nao started sputtering.

Lucas was taken aback. He couldn't believe that a group of _non_ guardians had gotten a hold of some information that the guardians didn't have. He was surprised and fascinated by this and floated even closer to listen. As he neared, the tail of his cloud brushed the human- like wolf on the ear.

Two things happened at once.

First off, both Kai and Nao gave a start and nearly knocked themselves over. But while Kai was able to compose himself quickly, Nao started hyperventilating like crazy. Strangely, his silver eyes were shifting colors, from startling silver to cold jet black.

Second, Lucas was yanked in by the pull of some unknown force and wrenched through a great many dark passageways. As he zoomed along, he couldn't help but notice tiny spots of light surrounding him, blinking in and out as he passed. When he was able to get a good look at some of them, he noticed that they were memories, bits of a few broken memories. By the time Lucas was finally spit out into a rather dark void, he probably had seen about ten broken memories. And as if the mind of his new guardian sensed his presence already, the memories floating around him hid themselves so quickly the boy could only catch a glimpse of a few of them.

He suddenly became aware of the movement all around him as he stared out at the white portal that everyone had said led to the outside world. Both boys, Kai and Nao, were staring upwards, as if listening for something…

Or to someone…

For the first time, Lucas' guardian spoke. "Are… are you two alright…?"

Nao took a deep, shuddering breath and managed to compose himself. "Uh… no…? Teal, if some random voice started talking in your head… OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT FREAKING ALRIGHT!"

_"You are not going crazy, Nao, if that's what you're wondering,"_ Kai said amusedly, _"I'm going through the same thing too, according to Mr… Ganonpork?"_

Lucas started laughing when an image of Ganondorf's flustered, beet red face popped into his head. No doubt, the King of Evil _hated_ it when people got his name wrong. Unfortunately, his laugh also caught the attention of Teal, who only raised an eyebrow.

Nao was grumbling up at his Smasher. "Of course I reacted the way everyone else did… what did you expect? You Smashers really shouldn't be sneaking up on your guardians like that… it sort of freaks them out and convinces them they're going crazy…"

_"Maybe you__ are…"_ Kai said, he turned to Teal, where his eyes immediately flared up slightly before receding again. _"But unlike us, Teal seems to have kept his cool when meeting up with…"_ he squinted. _"I can't tell who you have…"_

_"I'm Lucas!"_ the boy squeaked, too afraid too look into Kai's eyes. _"I'm Lucas! Please don't eat me!"_

"Eat you!" Nao asked incredulously, "Why would we eat you!" He blanched slightly as Kai and Teal both looked at him strangely. "Uh… Mewtwo… mind reading powers…"

Kai nodded. _"Yep, it's settled… we're all either going nuts or we're guardians…"_

"Mm…" Teal agreed. "Lucas… it's nice to meet you…" He shifted uncomfortably after saying that, unsure of what to say more.

Lucas cleared his throat. _"Uh… just wondering… um… how do you guys know about all of this? I thought it was supposed to be kept a secret…?"_

Meanwhile, Mewtwo couldn't help but roll his eyes. Lucas, though possessing of great psychokinetic powers, still had a long way to go until he reached his level. What was more, even he was at lost to how Nao and his camping buddies had managed to get a hold of the information as well, but he was better at hiding his reaction.

"It was," Nao agreed, easily reading Teal's mind, "But that doesn't mean that we couldn't steal anything…"

_"Steal?"_ Mewtwo asked, _"No guardian of mine should stoop down to petty stealing, especially not when he is the vessel for the power that few can handle."_

Nao rolled his eyes. "Geez, this was _before_ I met you, Mewtwo!"

_"Even so. There is no need to do something as small as climbing a mere tree when one can either teleport or levitate to the source."_

"Great, Kai! Just great!" Nao threw up his arms, "Now I have _another_ naggy jerk to get in my face! And I heard that, Ganon_dork_!"

Mewtwo shook his head. _"Petty insults are below us, Nao."_

"Uh… Nao? Shouldn't we get on to… you know, what you took?" Teal asked, wanting to avoid a fight.

"… Right…" Nao settled down and brought out a few pages that were yellow with age. From looking at one side of each page, Mewtwo could tell that they were torn from a book of some kind. Unlike the books he and other Smashers had read back in the day, this one seemed to be written solely in black ink, with numerous notes and tiny pictures scrawled everywhere on it. But what caught their interest the most was one single name:

Master R. Hand.

"I stole these long ago," Nao explained, "I was just hanging out by the wall of that huge mansion… castle… thingy in the distance when I heard the guy screaming. Man, you should've _heard_ him! Man, he was swearing so much, it would've _nuked_ Lucas's innocence right there!"

Lucas winced at the thought. He was never one to approve of cursing of any kind, even though the other Smash children often swore with relish when the older ones weren't around.

"Show them what you took, Nao," Teal ordered quietly, "We don't want to bore the Smashers, after all."

Nao looked offended. "Bore! I'll have you know that-"

_"Shut up and do as he says, Nao,"_ Kai interrupted, _"You're starting to bore __me__!"_

Scowling, Nao pointed to the blurry black text, careful not to smudge the ink with his finger. It was written in prose form, like a poem and seemed to flow with some kind of hidden rhythm as it spanned the three pages. Curiously, the three Smashers leaned in along with their guardians and began to read.

_Though evil rises and Heroes fall,_

_It shall be defeated once and for all._

_A century shall pass, bleak and gray_

_But thirty five guardians shall carry the day._

_By goddess' wrath, a villain amends_

_From heaven's light, an angel descends_

_To protect the innocent, a huntress' creed_

_With thunder and lightning, a Pokemon is freed_

_"Is it time to eat?" the dinosaur asks_

_To lead them to victory, the mercenary's task_

_The Hero arrives, a sword in his hand_

_The Princess returns, in search of a friend_

_To Altea, the prince escapes his dark cage_

_The lone wolf howls for the Scion of Rage_

_For the young child, his world has grown_

_Cold and hungry, the pink one moans_

_To reclaim his honor, the Star Warrior must_

_The dragon's flame a prince must trust_

_Within the shadows a mercenary hides_

_Upon a great tank the heroic fox rides_

_The master of aura can see through all lies_

_A bird of prey soars higher than high_

_The young hero sets sail, hoping to prevail_

_All through this, a Pokemon trainer tells his tale_

_The spaceman stands, frozen in fear_

_The princess thinks of the one she holds dear_

_The young warrior is finally given his time_

_And a racer must find a way he can shine_

_A yellow electric mouse creates a new light_

_While the hedgehog of blue speeds towards the fight_

_The plumbers team up to leave their mark_

_While the PK kid creates quite a spark_

_The psychic creature follows his path…_

The pages ended there. The Smashers found it strange how a prophecy could end so abruptly, but then again, these pages were torn from a book.

A book that could easily be stolen.

Teal stared quietly at the prophecy, wondering how it ended. Though he had read this numerous times since Nao had stolen it, he couldn't fathom how it would end. He assumed that it went on about each Smasher for a bit more, but afterwards?

He couldn't imagine.

_"Teal… I can tell you're thinking about something…"_ Kai observed. _"Ever since we've met you, you're always thinking about something… and you've rarely spoken a thing…"_

Teal squirmed uncomfortably under the Lucario's gaze. "I…"

Nao cocked his head as he read the boy's mind. "You have an awful lot to hide, man… but…" he squinted slightly at him. "I can't figure out _what_ you're here for… I mean, you crash here in some kind of ship from space! You have to be here for _something_!"

"…" Teal remained quiet.

_"Teal…?"_ Lucas asked, _"Erm… what are they talking about…?"_

"… I'm not searching for something…" Teal whispered, "I'm searching for some_one_…"

"Aw man… do us a favor and _please_ don't turn this conversation into one of those cheesy soap opera things!" Nao whined. Kai silenced him with a glare.

_"Who are they?"_

"Her name is Heather…" Teal smiled as the memories began floating into view, memories of slightly happier times than this, and "She and I met long ago… long after I came here, in a village far away…I had been trying to find passage to Hyrule, but was attacked while in the air by creatures unimaginable… I was shot down and crashed landed in a small village… by the time I woke up, I was severely injured and even more badly shaken… Heather was standing over me, I was scared of her when we first met… I even tried to run from her, but… but she was able to calm me down and told me everything about this whole war… how innocent lives are being taken at the hands of an evil tyrant…"

_"…"_ Lucas remained silent. The war was a cruel, horrible event that ripped apart many lives. For the first time, he realized just how horrible this whole thing was.

"For four years, I trained and lived with Heather together with our teacher, Regenade," Teal continued, "We trained for many hours a day, almost non stop. I hoped that if I helped Heather enough, the three of us- Regenade, Heather, and I- would be able to weaken Tabuu's armies just a little… enough for someone else to deliver the final blow to him if we should lose our lives in the battle…"

Lucas suddenly became aware of a great wave of emotion, of heartbreak and misery that flooded his guardian's mind. Faintly, he was able to hear screaming, as well as the sounds of mass destruction all around him. But because these were mere memories, they seemed to fade in and out, like a radio…

"But everything went so wrong…" Teal's voice was hollow, his face pained, "the village was attacked and the three of us were separated…" a scream filled his mind, causing Lucas to jump. "Though we did our best to quell the battle, nothing we were able to do alone could stop it. Master Regenade was killed…...and Heather... " Teal's voice cracked slightly at the name. "could take no more...she left...she left to avenge him and her family against Tabuu once and for all...and never returned..."

For the longest time, every soul around him was silent. Lucas felt overwhelming guilt wash through him, knowing that it was his fault that all of that happened. Had he been not so weak in that fight where his soul was ripped away, perhaps he could've put a stop to all of this. Ganondorf turned away in shame, hiding the guilt etched all over his face. Along of the three Smashers did Mewtwo remain completely neutral, still angered at himself for not being powerful enough to stop Tabuu single handedly as he had defeated Mew so many years before.

Well, at least that was what he kept telling himself…

A few minutes passed before Nao cleared his throat. "So… what now…?"

Before anyone could answer, they were cut off by a great scream. It echoed throughout the woods, reverberating off the trees and shaking the leaves all around them. It was the loudest thing they ever heard, filled to bursting with anger, hate, and misery. If it had not been so far away, it would have deafened all who heard it. It was a wail of rage, no doubt about it, but where it came from and how it happened, none of them, not even Mewtwo, could tell.

Kai and Nao both instinctively covered their ears and closed their eyes, willing that the scream would pass before they were discovered. Meanwhile, Lucas was extremely surprised to see Teal, who instead of covering his ears, lifted his head. His ears were up and alert.

_"Teal…?"_ he asked, _"What is it…?"_

His guardian was shaking his head, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. The scream began to die down, so Kai and Nao both uncovered their ears and looked at Teal, wondering the exact same thing Lucas was. Unexpectedly, Teal took off running just as a single word passed from his lips…

"Heather…"

* * *

Every single one of them was exhausted as could be. Though victory was theirs, they had been drained to their very limit. Had it not been for the strange miracle of the falling lights, it was clear to them that they would have lost.

Tired though she was, Psyche managed to find enough energy left within her to reach into a hidden pocket of her rags and pull out a thin, leather bound book. She had not touched the thing in the longest time. But as the girl gently turned the frail book in her hands, she couldn't help but notice the huge stain of crimson splattered across its back cover.

_His_ blood…

_"You're still thinking about him, aren't you…?"_ Pit asked, _"Shouldn't you… I don't know… just let him go already…?"_

The girl clutched the book to her chest as she held back a sob. "I… I'm trying… but I can't… oh Pit… I loved him… I loved him like a brother and now… now he's _gone_…" A single teardrop ran down her cheek and hit the very center of the red stain. "H-He… he was the only thing that was worth living for… in those factories… it was like he kept me alive…"

Pit sighed. _"Look… I don't know what you two did back then, but… you've got an awful lot to live for now, Psyche…"_ He glanced once at the red spot, but immediately looked away, not wanting to gaze at it for too long. _"If you really cared about him… if you really cared at all… you should-"_

"Shut up, just shut the Hell up!"

Psyche held back more tears as she bit her lip and clutched the book even closer to her chest. "Oh no… they're fighting again…"

The two stood in the middle of the clearing, the other guardians surrounding them in a huge circle. They stood in the center of the circle and with every harsh word exchanged, their anger and hate for each other flared up even more behind their eyes. Pit watched in revulsion and fascination of this strange argument, unsure if he should tell his guardian to stay away or to shoot a good arrow at them to get _them_ to shut up…

"You're horrible!" Traca screamed, "You didn't even stop to listen to me!"

"I listened alright!" he retorted, "And I don't buy it!"

Cameron stepped forward and grabbed Golfer's shoulder. "Listen you-"

"Cameron, did you not just _hear_ what she tried to tell me! Come on, that's like something that happens in some sort of cheap spy movie or something!"

"Let it go," Cameron snarled, roughly trying to pull him back. When all he received was a backhand slap in the face, his anger flared. "WHY YOU LITTLE-"

"NO!" Lin ran forward and grabbed Sigmund away, just as the mercenary was reaching for it. Next thing he knew, there was a frying pan aimed right at his face. Scowling, Cameron calmed down and sulked back to the circle.

"You choose _now_ to not buy any stories!" Traca yelled angrily, "You choose _now_, of all times! Of all the times they lied to you at that academy…"

"Well, maybe _someone_ taught me a lesson a bit too well! It's a huge surprise, considering that you always _failed_ at those bounty hunting te-"

Sakura slammed her golf club in his shin. "Don't insult her like that!"

"Yeah, don't insult me like that!" the girl repeated smugly. Instead of a golf club, she received a Red Pikmin to the face. It was soon followed by a whole storm of eggs. Glaring at Beeh and Mah, she stomped on the little thing before turning back to the argument.

"And then there's that one time you told me my gun was in the boiler room somewhere when instead you hid it on top of the freaking roof! I spent hours looking around down there!"

"It was a prank and you know it!" she snapped. Roy felt her anger flare up, almost as hot as her dragon's flame. Not for the first time, he was thankful that she know longer held her dragon stone. "Besides, you hid my dragon stone in the plumbing once!"

"That was because you-"

"Golfer! Stop being a Dick!" Ridere shouted.

"Stop butting in, Ridere!"

Nask stepped forward, her Naginata spewing forth some dangerous looking shards of ice. "Don't talk to him like that!" Marth was surprised at the strength of her voice. It was like she was a shield, a shield designed to defend the green haired boy at all costs.

"I can talk to him however I wa-" He was immediately cut off as Nask slammed her Naginata into the ground and sent a whole snow storm his way. He just barely dodged. "What? That's it? I mean, come on-"

Ridere's face turned red. "You ask for it pal..." Ridere reached for the yoyo that hung at his side while Golfer prepared his gun. "It's time to… SPIT SOME RHYMES!"

"Bring it on, Ri-" Golfer was suddenly confused. "Wait, what…?" His answer came to him as Ridere began tapping the beat to a rhythm. "Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me…"

"Alright Golfer, check it out, it's Ridere from-"

"Shut up, Ridere," Squall spat. The boy scowled at the former captain, but remained quiet.

"Yeah, shut up," Golfer agreed. Samus clenched her fists in anger. Her guardian needed a good beating, but then again, so did Roy's guardian. She couldn't stand it when two people on a team argued for no reason.

"It's your fault and you know it!"

Traca was practically in tears now. Whether she was faking it or not, the huntress wasn't sure. "I've told you! I'm sorry! I did it so-"

"A likely story!"

"It was for my family! Golfer, you have to understand!"

"I understand alright… you threw away your best friend just so you can _try_ to find out something from some random guy about your family!"

"My mom, Golfer! My mom! I don't know who she is, and-"

"You used to never _care_ about who she was!"

"Well, I've changed, okay?"

"Oi! Shut up over there!" Eric shouted from one edge of the clearing. There was a medical kit next to him and he was struggling with holding Pikana. Wrath was trying to bind a few of her wounds, but as Pikana struggled some more, he was forced to try to hold her down as well. "You're pissing off Pikana!"

"Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em!" the little Pokemon screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I'll splat 'em!"

"Get down!" Eric snarled through gritted teeth, "You're going to open up your wounds again!" Wrath was struggling with her as well, thankful for the rubber gloves he had been given to wear to ward off the Pokemon's sparks.

At that same moment, someone screamed out, "NO, GOLFER!" The sound of a gunshot filled the air as well as the _whoosh!_ of a bullet as it whizzed towards its target. Roy gasped in horror as the dreaded projectile sailed faster and faster towards the winged girl, aiming right for her neck…  
_  
Plink!_

Both Traca and Roy sighed in relief as a certain Wolfon stepped in front of them, the bullet bouncing off her metal arm.__

  
"Stay out of this Heather" Golfer scoffed.

"Oh no..." Wrath didn't even think twice about stepping back, being the only other guardian to witness Black Heather besides Psyche.

Golfer snorted.

"No one wants you going ballistic right n-"

_BANG!_

  
Everyone screamed in fright as a red energy exploded from inside of Golfer's stomach, which caused the boy to choke out blood and collapse on the ground. Heather then flicked her left wrist around and forced Golfer to stand right up, which only put him in more pain. All around the circle, every human standing there was trembling in fear as her side of that deadly emotion called rage was released to the world.

"H-Heather..." Nask shakily spoke, taking a step forward to calm her down. Marth squeaked in fear as Nask took a step closer to the already enraged woman, worried for her safety. After all, even if Nask managed to calm her down, there was no telling what she could do.

But it was all too late...

"Traca, did you ever find out what happened to your parents?" Heather asked.

"No. No I didn't! He betrayed me because he wanted ME TO KILL YOU GOLFER! Not leave you to be killed! No, he wanted ME TO KILL YOU! OF COURSE I WASN'T GOING TO DO THAT YOU BASTARD!" Traca screamed, crying. Golfer's eyes widened in horror at this.

"Who was this man, Traca?" Heather asked.

"I don't know...but I remember, he had short, combed back brown hair, a stocky thin feature and...orange eyes..." Traca looked at Heather.

Red psychic electric energy crackled in the palm of Heather left hand as she dropped her staff from her metal hand.

"Now that man...that man that Traca just described...HE, is evil. THAT MAN, is evil. That man...is Clark Wolfon. Now HE, betrayed me...he betrayed me and the rest of my family to Tabuu...and he didn't regret it. Not one...single...bit...and...AND..." Wolf's eyes widened in terror as flames suddenly burned up all around him and Heather's entire vision...

...turned blood red.

"AND I'M NEVER GOING TO KNOW WHY HE DID IT!" without warning, Heather shocked Golfer with her red energy. Golfer screamed in pain.

"TRACA SURE DOES LOOK LIKE SHE'S SORRY DOESN'T SHE? SHE SURE DOES LOOK LIKE SHE'S REGRETFUL AND FEELS GUILT DOESN'T SHE? BUT WHAT ABOUT MY UNCLE? WHY, HE WAS THE ONE WHO SET IT ALL UP BETWEEN YOU TWO! AND HOW LONG AGO DID MY UNCLE BETRAY ME? FIFTEEN YEARS AGO NOW! FIFTEEN! AND LOOK, HE'S STILL WORKING FOR TABUU! AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY HE IS, OR WHY HE BETRAYED ME! BUT WHAT I DO KNOW, IS THAT HE FORCED ME TO WATCH ALL MY FAMILY DIE IN FRONT OF ME AS A WARNING TO OPPOSING HIM! ALL OF THEM, ONE...BY...ONE! AT LEAST YOU GET THE FUCKING CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH TRACA AND FIND OUT WHY SHE DID IT AND MAKE UP! AND WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THAT CHANCE? YOU JUST CUT HER OFF AND DON'T FUCKING LISTEN TO HER AND DON'T GIVE HER A DAMN RIGHT CHANCE! ME? I'LL NEVER GET THE CHANCE!"

Wolf howled as he took for cover from the flames and red lightning spiralled out of control inside of his guardian's mind. A horrified look adorned Wolf's face when he saw Black Heather screaming from being electrocuted by red lightning. Wolf screamed and screamed in desperation to Heather, the raging fires starting to burn him to ash so to make him cease his very existence.

Samus's eyes widened in terror when she saw Heather's eyes continuously flash between orange and red.

The rage was corrupting her...

"MAY I ASK THOUGH, DID TRACA TAKE YOUR FAMILY AWAY FROM YOU? HMM? DID SHE REALLY TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM YOU IN THE END? I DON'T THINK SHE DID! NOT TO MENTION SHE WAS ACTUALLY ORDERED TO KILL YOU, BUT SHE DIDN'T! SHE REFUSED! OF COURSE SHE WASN'T GOING TO KILL YOU! SO DOES THAT MEAN SHE DIDN'T BETRAY YOU WITHOUT REGRET? DOES THAT MEAN SHE HATES YOU! IF ANYTHING, SHE HATES YOU BECAUSE OF THE SELFISH, STUBBORN DUMBASS YOU ARE, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HATES YOU! TRACA CLEARLY DIDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT A SENTIMENTAL, GOOD REASON! SHE WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO HER PARENTS WERE FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE! EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR FAMILY DON'T THEY? DON'T YOU? HELL, THE WHOLE FUCKING REASON WHY I AM WHO I AM TODAY IS BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY! WHY DO YOU THINK I FIGHT? WHY DO YOU THINK BLACK HEATHER EXISTS? WHY DO YOU THINK I EXIST TO DESTROY EVIL? MY FAMILY OF COURSE! I FIGHT IN THE NAME OF MY FATHER AND OF THE WOLFON FAMILY TO BRING THEM JUSTICE! HELL I EVEN ASK WHAT THE HELL DO YOU FUCKING FIGHT FOR?" Wolf roared at Heather to realise what she was doing. To realise what she was becoming. But as he looked around her mind, he could see that it was almost over for him...and for her. Soon, the fire would swallow him and Black Heather whole.

Now all that had to happen...was for Heather to cut the throat connecting Golfer's head to his body...

"HEATHER! NO! STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

Wolf's fur stopped burning. He opened his eyes as he saw the chasm of Heather's mind suddenly break into pouring rain. Steam rose from Wolf's body as the rain poured down, quelling the throbbing burns he felt. Wolf was surprised to find an unconscious Black Heather bent over and hanging from her chains. He looked back to see what had happened.

Psyche had grabbed Heather's left arm, stopping her from finishing the job...

Samus watched as Heather's flashing eyes abruptly stopped and returned to their normal colour. Golfer was released from her psychic hold and despite his pain, he immediately backed away as far as he could get from the Wolfon, absolutely terrified. He was not alone in that either. All the other guardians had got away as far as possible, for the whole time red lightning had flashed across the sky, clouds turning black. Now, it was just grey clouds and rain, with blue lightning. It was now just normal weather...

Inside their guardians, the Smashers could only feel sorrow for Wolf O'Donnell...

Psyche could feel Heather's left arm tremble in her grasp, along with the rest of her body trembling. She looked to see a shadow cast over Heather's eyes. Whilst she couldn't see the eyes, she could see the tears rolling down her cheeks and her gritting teeth.

Heather released her grip on her sword, the weapon clattering to the ground.

Her left arm became released from Psyche's grip and went down to her side.

She stumbled backwards...

She looked around at the terrified, young children around her...

_"How can you look after everyone else...when you can't even look after yourself?"_

  
Heather screamed...

...and ran away.

* * *

_"__Chester__!"_ Pichu whined as his guardian slipped on a pile of moss on the ground was dived behind a log to take cover from Aly's bullets. One of them just barely grazed the undead boy's cheek while another managed to lodge itself into his leg. Despite this, he was still able to walk. Thankfully, the bullet had missed his brain…

Or it could've been messy.

"Pichu, I _told_ you already, I don't have any freaking wipes!" Chester whispered, looking nervously over his shoulder to make sure Aly wasn't right behind him. In fact, he could hear her stumbling through the forest at that moment, shooting at everything that moved.

_"But __Chester__…" _Pichu sobbed, _"I _**_need_**_ wipes!"_

"And I said I don't have any!" Chester growled, "Now if you're going to keep pissing yourself in my head, at _least_ find a bathroom or something in there!"

_"But the bathrooms have scary sparkly vampires in there!"_

"You do have a point.

"To only shoot you until your heart explodes and your skin burns in Hell…"

_"Aly, the only sure way to destroy a zombie is to nuke the brain!"_ Fox rolled his eyes, _"You should know that!"_

"I don't give a shit! I came to this city... to shoot zombies… ON MOTORCYCLES!"

_"Aly, how many times do I have to tell you?_ _We don't have freaking motorcycles_!"

From behind a tree stepped Mars, his expression completely unamused. Aly scowled as he stepped forward, muttering about how he always ruined her fun. Chester simply sunk lower behind the log, hoping that nothing would give him away. Pichu shook in fear at the sight of Aly's guns, still filled with bullets because she was lightning fast at reloading it.

"What is it now, Mars?" she huffed, "Can't you see I'm shooting zombies here?"

Mars frowned. "Uh… first off, you're shooting at _one_ zombie. Second, this isn't the Left 4 Dead world, and-"

_"Who said it wasn't?" _Falco demanded, _"There are zombies, random people screaming at you, a hell load of guns, and danger around every freaking corner! Oh, and did I mention how teammates keep getting in the freaking way!"_

Mars sighed. "… I am surrounded by idiots…"

If Aly had heard him, she gave no indication that she did. She did a quick sweep with her eyes, searching for any sign of Chester. Mars frowned and grabbed the gun from her hands.

"Chester…? Are the scary people gone…?"

Chester checked and was satisfied at how Aly no longer seemed to have a gun. Without thinking, he stood up and began walking towards them. At the mere sight of him, Aly pulled another three guns from out of nowhere and began shooting at him again. Chester dived to the side, but one of the bullets caught him in the leg. Pichu felt the stabbing pain and cried out so loudly the walls of Chester's mine reverberated all around him. The undead boy grabbed his head and collapsed, moaning as the force of a thousand headaches hit him.

Aly took advantage of this and leveled her gun at his head before her finger made its way to the trigger and squeezed…

"Aly, no!" Mars shouted, yanking the gun out of her hands. The bullet ricocheted off a branch from above and slammed into Mars' chest. Lucky for him, he was wearing a bullet proof vest. Falco couldn't help but be disappointed that his guardian wasn't shot.

After all, he'd deserve it for running away from a fight.

Hesitantly, Chester stepped out from behind the log and cleared his throat. "Uh… listen…"

Aly reached for another gun, only to be stopped by Mars. She scowled at Chester. "Look, Mr. Zombie, if you're going to eat my brains, take his instead! His tastes like chicken!"

Chester blanched in disgust. "I'm not here to eat your brains! I'm a lot smarter than my cousins, thanks."

Aly eyed him suspiciously. "Well, if you're not here to suck our brains out, then-"

"Shh!" Mars suddenly interrupted. His eyes were trained on a certain jet black building not far away, where the balcony of it was completely visible through the trees. Motioning for the other two to get down below the bushes, the pilot knelt down as well and watched as a certain glowing blue man stepped out onto the balcony, black cloak billowing in the wind.

Falco growled his hatred as the man stepped out into the grey light, followed by what he recognized as his own body. _"That stupid body stealing bastard… I'll-"_

"Sh!" Mars hissed again. From a hidden pocket of his suit, he pulled out an odd looking instrument with what looked like a satellite sticking out of it. What was more, there was also a set of headphones attached to it as well. Falco watched as the pilot expertly positioned it so it wouldn't be seen on the ground and turned up the volume on the headphones. It was loud enough for both Chester and Aly to hear through them without having to put them on, but not loud enough for the sound to carry to the balcony.

"Eric made it about a week ago," he explained after catching sight of Aly's raised eyebrows. "This is still a prototype and he wanted someone else to test it out in case it decided to jump on him and oh… skin him alive or something…"

"I keep telling him it wasn't me that stuck the virus into his potato peeling thing…" Aly muttered angrily.

Fox whistled. _"If we had one of those during the first Subspace War…"_

Chester watched in fascination as Mars began tuning the thing like a radio. Random static came out of the headphones at first, but gradually, voices began speaking from it. The static garbled them slightly, but as Mars raised the satellite thing towards the sky, they became crystal clear.

"You're saying that Sorius of Hyrule is dead?" the blue man asked, "Are you certain?"

Falco's body garbled something in response. It was clear that Tabuu took this as a confirmation from the low growl he emitted at the news. Something else was said by Falco's body, but none of them knew what.

"What…?" was all Tabuu could say. Falco's body repeated the garbled mess. From their position, the three guardians could easily see how Tabuu's chest heaved up and down in excitement and surprise, how his face seemed to light up in the grey daylight around him. They saw his right hand trembling as he grasped the balcony, as if trying to prevent himself from swooning.

"Y-You… y-you're saying you've found eyewitness proof that… that confirmed… Sorius was a guardian!" Tabuu finally gasped. Falco's body garbled in response. "The guardian of… of Ganondorf, no less…?" another garbled response.

They watched as Tabuu's hand clenched itself upon the railing of the balcony, his head upturned at the dark grey sky above him. All of them winced in pain and fear as a laugh was torn from his throat, echoing for miles around. But what truly scared them the most was when his cloak fell to the ground and great bolts of powerful energy blasted out, revealing his powerful glowing wings.

"Here me now, Guardians of the Smashers!" Tabuu screamed to the sky, "Here me now and listen well! You have _failed_! One of your number is dead! Thirty five of you are needed to defeat me and through the hand of one of your own, one of you has fallen beneath the cold bite of the steel blade! You shall _never_, _never_ defeat me! You have failed, guardians! FAILED!"

Aly and Mars exchanged looks of worry and surprise. Fox's and Falco's mouths dropped open as Tabuu's words reached them. Failed? How could they have failed? After all the fighting and all that they went through, one of there number was dead.

Ganondorf, King of Evil, was no more…

Alone of the three guardians, Chester continued gazing at the sky. He watched as three more streaks zoomed right over Tabuu's head, rocketing away like shooting stars into the night sky.

One of them was quite large and bulky looking. It was colored very gaily, in bright blues, reds, and yellows. As it dashed past, it seemed to blow a wet raspberry at Tabuu.

The second one was cream colored and seemed to float around robotically, almost. Its every movement was rather jerky and for some strange reason, Pichu felt very, very sorry for it and angry all at once.

The final one was just as big as the first. Only this one was pure green streaked with white. It seemed to glare at Tabuu as it passed, but was soon out of sight.

Tabuu lifted his head once more to the heavens and let out a rancorous cackle. "Send out all the Smashers you want, you stupid hand! You shall never defeat me with one of your number dead! You might as well simply hand these so called 'Guardians' over to me as slaves! You have failed, Master Hand! Failed!"

"Is it true…?" Aly asked, tears choking her voice, "We've failed…? One of us is dead…?"

Mars' answer came out in hollow tones. "… I… I… I don't know, Aly… I just don't know…"

Chester turned to the two of them. "What are you two saying!"

The two pilots stared silently at the undead boy. "…"

"Just because one of us is dead… doesn't mean that we can give up just like that…" Chester said, "Because… we've made it this far already… and… and we shouldn't let Master Hand down…"

"But Chester…" Mars shook his head, "You heard that Tabuu guy… all 35 of us are needed to-"

"To Hell with thirty five!" Chester spat, "Thirty four of us is fine enough for me! We've made it this far already and there's no way I'm turning my back on Master Hand when he needs us!"

"Chester…" Aly sighed. "It's hopeless… we've known it was hopeless since the very beginning… I mean, just look at the power levels that guy has…"

_"OVAH 9000!_" Fox shouted. He caught Aly's glare. _"Sorry, couldn't help myself."_

Chester sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look… you guys didn't have to come fight for Master Hand, you know… you could've just run away from here at the moment you guys found Fox and Falco and used their powers to your advantage… but… tell me this… if this whole situation is hopeless, why did you guys still stick around…?"

Mars frowned. "… I don't know…" Aly shook her head as well.

Chester held out his hand. "Look, I know you two don't want to be here… heck, I don't want to either… but… but we're guardians and guardians have to stick together… so…" he held out his good hand. "Guardians?"

Mars hesitated for a moment before grasping it. "Guardians."

Aly grinned and grabbed onto both of their hands. "Guardians!"

The three threw their hands up into the air.

"GUARDIANS ARISE!"

* * *

**Well, I hope that was alright. I actually wasn't too sure how to end Teal's part to tell you guys the truth. ^^' Well, easy come easy go, I guess…**

**Anyways, yeah… band and school have really eaten up my time lately… But I've devoted as much as I could to this story!**

**Anyways, see ya next chapter!**


	19. Fyre, Doggie, and Kage

The Final Test

**Hooray! It's out! :D **

**Disclaimer: I got the rights to Smash Brothers! Not…

* * *

**

Tabuu gripped the railings of the platform, glaring down as a thousand great blobs of gray moved in robotic droves all around him. His latest victory had left a particularly good taste in his mouth and what better way to celebrate than to torment the little people? He watched as all of them moved in droves, doing the exact same movement at each station. Off to the sides, three Smashers stood ready with powerful whips fashioned out of the Chains of Light. One little touch of the powerful shining thongs and any human would be writhing in more pain then they would feel in a lifetime.

Oh, he loved his job…

Tabuu leaned even closer to the simultaneous movements down below, scrutinising the identical movements of the many hands below. He was searching for a sudden break in the pattern of forging, moulding, and completing his synthetic Smashballs, but he could find none. Growing weary of watching the same thing over and over again, he gave a small nod to the Smasher at his right.

Pit raised an eyebrow at his master, his expression inquiring. Tabuu could only smile at the angel, whose insatiable curiosity lasted even after his soul had been ripped out. With a small flick of his wrist, he indicated a particularly thin slave girl directly in front of Pit, in perfect whip's distance.

She was a slight creature, clad in ragged grey pants and a patched black hoodie. Beside her stood a tall walking stick, which she used to help her walk about when she needed to run to get supplies. Normally, Tabuu wasn't all too irked with the stick because the girl was crippled or something around the ankles and needed the thing to walk. After all, a wasted slave meant at least one wasted Smashball, right? Either way, Tabuu had allowed her to keep the stick.

That is, until today…

He watched with hawk- like eyes as the girl carefully shaped the synthetic Smashball in front of her into a sphere, but realized that she was almost out of Plutonium and was forced to get up to get more. She used her walking stick to hoist herself up and slowly but surely, she hobbled her way to the table.

A smirk appeared on Tabuu's lips as he turned to Pit and uttered one single word. "Now."

In a split second, Pit's whip was in the air, the powerful thong hurling right towards the girl with the stick. Two _cracks!_ sounded as one snapped her stick right in half while the other lashed across her back, creating a huge wound that could only be formed by the most potent of all powers. And it was not long until the wound gushed forth a torrent of blood that stained everything around it and caused a great uproar.

Before the girl could let out a single shriek of pain, she was grabbed from behind where her arms were twisted behind her back by the two other Smashers: Wolf and Fox. She would've screamed here had it not been for the twin whips shining menacingly at her from each anthropomorphic animal's belt. With nothing more to do, she only bit her lip and held her tongue. Slowly but surely, she was dragged up to where the blue man stood, past all of the pitiful eyes of her fellow slaves. Her mind burned with anger at the thought of being blamed for something she did not do, but though she wished desperately to rail against the master of the house for blaming her like this, she knew that once she opened her mouth, the only sound that would come out was the scream she had been holding back since the whip lashed across her shoulders.

She was brought before Tabuu and forced to her knees, watching with hate filled eyes as her master- how she hated the word- glared down at her. She spat upon the ground, a thin trail of saliva, before glaring back up at him and waiting for him to speak. When he did, his voice was high and cruel.

"So… you see to cause trouble in my factories, don't you little girl?" the girl bit her tongue even harder as she glared up at the hated man, her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Up above her, a certain cloud of cream colored gas surveyed the area, unsure of where to start the long search it knew was up ahead.

It watched as the girl was hoisted up by the two possessed pilots and hauled out of the room, trailing a wide path of red behind her as she went. He shot a glance behind him, just as the force began tugging at him to follow the girl as she was dragged out the room. All of the slaves had just gone back to their monotonous work, ignoring the stain of blood on the ground as if nothing had happened. With the force tugging him all the while, the Smasher turned his back on the mindless slaves below and followed the girl's winding trail of blood through a great many hallways up and even more stairs. It wasn't long until they were dragging the girl up the winding staircase, headed for a room that was undoubtedly at the top of the stairs

It was strange to see this dusty hallway of the mansion, seeing that this was once one of the attics of the Smash Mansion. Master Hand used to keep his spare parts up here if they didn't fit in the garage or armory and it was more often than not that the lonely Smasher would come up here and look through the treasure trove of items kept in this attic. He remembered one night long ago when he had stumbled upon a leather bound book…

Wolf kicked down the door and waited as Fox unceremoniously threw the girl in as if she was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. Two figures already in this room looked up as she was thrown in, staring with widened eyes at her bloody condition and the obvious lack of care that the two human- like animals possessed. Without so much as a grunt, the two walked out, leaving the bloodied, shivering girl at the hands of the two others in the room.

"Oh my god…" one of them whispered, "Fyre, get that towel over there… she's hurt!" This voice was obviously female from the sound of it, but her silhouette against the grey light of the large window was rather… odd.

The Smasher watched as the other figure got up and ran over with a dirty white towel. The girl pressed it to the other girl's back, allowing the blood to seep into the dirty piece of cloth. She seemed tense as she worked, not wanting to open up the wounds even more and allow blood to flow as fresh as ever.

"_There you are, ROB,"_ a voice said behind him.

The former robot turned and found himself staring right into Bowser's see through cloud of gas. The King of Koopas was staring down at the humans as if they were filth, but ROB could almost sense something behind the Koopa's gaze. A sad, futile longing of something that he most likely lost when he was stuck in the jar. Then again, the robot realized, they all lost something before.

"_What's wrong, Bowser?"_ King Dedede asked, floating down from what seemed like nowhere, _"You look like you just walked out of a morgue or somethin'!"_

Bowser hung his head and quietly floated there as he continued to stare at the three teens below. _"… In a way… I have…"_

"_Cannot compute what is troubling organic life form,"_ ROB beeped. Bowser almost shot him a glare, but seemed to think better of it and only shook his head.

"_Listen, you two… I don't know what you've been doing over the past hundreds of years, but… I had time… a lot of it… I had an awful lot of time to mill things around in my head… sure for the first decade or so I made up plans and stuff to finally beat Mario, but after about ten years… making those plans just felt so… empty…"_ Bowser's voice cracked slightly at this.

"_Empty plans!"_ Dedede yelped, _"But plans always make us evil geniuses happy! Heck, I spent the first twenty years thinking about how I'm finally going to beat Kirbs in that eating contest we never had!"_

"_This is serious, Dedede…"_ Bowser said darkly, _"Don't you get what I had to go through while I was in that stupid jar!"_

"…" the penguin remained silent.

ROB beeped slightly as he tried to think of a response. _"… Organic life form pines for something… can not find what it is in memory systems…"_

"_You're not a robot any more, ROB," _Bowser said bluntly, _"You have no memory systems…"_

With a shake of his cloud, the Koopa King dived down to where the three humans sat in a circle. Shrugging, Dedede followed him as well before ROB finally descended. By the time he reached the bottom, the three humans were already speaking with each other, telling the story of the great attic. Fyre, who seemed to know the most about this, was telling the girls what had happened.

"This attic…" he gestured around at all the furnishings, "Was where that one slave girl escaped!" His excited whisper seemed to send chills throughout the group.

"That's impossible, Fyre!" one of the girls exclaimed. Now that ROB had a closer look at her, he noticed that she was rather… strange looking in general. She seemed normal enough at first, with chestnut brown hair and deep brown eyes. But what really gave her away as a rather unusual sort were the two fluffy dog ears she possessed in place of her regular ears and the equally as fluffy dog tail that twitched occasionally as the story wore on. Her expression was kind.

Fyre shook his head. "Believe it or not, Doggie, I'm telling the truth… that slave girl… Psyche or whatever her name was… she escaped from this very room… right after her friend saved her…"

ROB couldn't help but wonder if the Psyche they were talking about was the same one that Pit often complained about. The angel was always the picky sort and by the sound of things, his guardian was no exception. When he wasn't railing about her inabilities, he was moaning about how long it would be until he finally got his body back, if at all.

Typical Guardian Syndrome.

Doggie shook her head, her ears wagging. "No way. I mean, just look at that glass!" She pointed to the window, which was obviously bulletproof. Just from looking at it, ROB could tell that it was replaced in the recent past. "According to everyone else, her friend broke that glass with his bare hands and heroically pushed her out, knowing that it would cost his own life! And then they said that he fought both Ike and Roy single-handedly before he died! They even said he ripped Ike's arm off and ate it…"

ROB felt the familiar sensation of needing to bang his forehead on the floor. It was quite often that humans mucked up bits of information when it was told as gossip. The more outrageous it was, the more willing they were to believe it.

"_That there's some serious false info!"_ Dedede commented, _"I oughta get in their heads right now to set things straight!"_

Bowser remained silent as he floated closer to Fyre. Before ROB knew what was going on, the Koopa King had disappeared without so much as a _whoosh!_ He yelped in surprise, causing him to propel right into the girl who still had a towel over her shoulder. Before anyone knew what was happening, ROB was hurtling through the corridors of her mind, stopping only to examine the strange fragments of memories as they passed by. The robot was used to seeing images pass by him, seeing that he once had a motherboard to store his memories, but these strange fluid fragments were nothing like he had ever seen before.

Was this what it was like to be human?

ROB emerged into a great open space, a space filled with freedom and color. It looked so different from the grey, bleak surroundings that it almost surprised the robot for a moment. He watched and listened as a breeze blew past him, as laughter rang through the air…

Ah…. Human fantasies…

The girl jumped, as if she detected an intruder in her mind. ROB could tell from the way the meadow shifted and stirred that she knew he was there, but couldn't figure out where or why.

"_Greetings, Human,"_ he said politely, never one to back down from adding someone new to his memory disk. _"Name: ROB. Status: Defeated Smasher. Processing questions…"_

The girl let out a scream. "Who are you!" ROB realized his mistake. He had forgotten that it was the natural reaction of pretty much every human to jump in fear and possibly even scream when a voice they did not recognize suddenly spoke up in their head.

The other two humans in the room looked at her strangely, before furrowing their brows in confusion. ROB didn't need to scan them to know what had just happened. Bowser and Dedede, those two vile villains, had just taken up residence in their minds. They seemed to be listening to whatever the two villains were telling them, as they should.

"_What is your name?"_ ROB asked, _"Prepared to receive answer."_

The girl shivered slightly before answering. "M-My name? I'm Kage…"

"_Kage,"_ ROB repeated, _"Adding to system memory."_

Kage raised an eyebrow. "Uh… okaaaaaay…?"

Doggie smiled at her when she heard her talking. "You hear that voice too, don't you?" Fyre caught her eye and nodded, indicating that he heard as well. Doggie shifted her position before tapping the side of her head. "Everyone, meet King Dedede, former ruler of Dreamland!" Her eyes were shining with excitement as she said those words. "He's just like how those stories describe him…"

Fyre stretched and yawned, sending a small tongue of flame between his teeth as he did. "Everyone, Bowser. Bowser, everyone." ROB couldn't help but wonder how someone could stay so at ease when a voice suddenly spoke up in their head, claiming that they were once among the greatest warriors in all the known universes.

ROB could almost imagine the Koopa King shouting at Fyre. Bowser was one who preferred to be treated with respect, something that he usually never got from his fellow Smashers.

What kind of super villain lost to a fat plumber anyways?

"_Name registered to system memory,"_ ROB announced, _"Processing plan to escape…"_

"Escape?" Kage repeated, like she never heard the word in her life. "We're… we're escaping…?"

"It only makes sense," Fyre told her, "I mean, according to Bowser…" He crossed his eyes slightly as he listened to whatever the Koopa King was ranting about now. "According to him, we're supposed to get outta here… and up Mount Smash…"

Doggie stood up, her eyes flashing determinedly. "Then we bust our way out!" Her poise was fearsome, her eyes alight with excitement. "We can redo exactly what Psyche and that… that other guy did! We can break out and maybe... maybe we'll find them along the way!" Her face screwed up in concentration as King Dedede told her something that was obviously either extremely elaborate or completely ridiculous.

Or both…

Kage shook her head. "We won't be able to make it out like this… I mean, sure we've got… powers, I guess, but…" she gestured to the window in front of her. "If the stories are true, the window that her friend broke was made of glass and probably really easy to break with something…"

"Break _that_ thing?" Fyre smirked. "Who said we're going to break a window?" Before either girl could protest, the crackle of fire filled the air. The girls watched in horror and fascination as Fyre's eyes went from light brown to deep wine red. The flames licked his cheeks, but didn't burn them as he turned and took careful aim a particularly rotted part of the wall behind him. It gave way as soon as the fireball touched it, leaving nothing but a tiny pile of ash on the ground. The two girls stared with wide eyes as Fyre swallowed his namesake and burped, gesturing for them to hop out of the hole he made.

"After you t-"

ALERT! ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!

"We are _not_ intruders!" Doggie sounded offended. She ran towards the hole, but not before stopping and picking up a book that was laid near her. She smiled sheepishly in response to Kage's confused expression. "It's my mom's… pretty much the last thing I have to remember her by…" She showed the title of the book_: Dreamland, the Final Frontier_.

"Uh… guys?" Fyre interrupted as Kage was about to touch the tome, "We can be nice and chatty and all, but… we're kinda in a hurry here!" The sounds of heavy footsteps were heard outside as he spoke, signalling to the guardians that they only had minutes until they were caught. His adrenaline kicking in, the boy ran forward and leaped out the hole, diving right into the bushes below.

"_Get those two to hurry up!"_ Bowser shouted. The turtle was more concerned with actually getting out alive over anything else, but having two companions with you had its benefits. After all, who else would be push in front of him if he ran into trouble?

The turtle watched as Doggie managed to push both her and Kage out at the same time. Though she landed lightly on her feet, Kage landed painfully on her butt, missing the bushes by about a foot. Struggling painfully to her feet, the girl struggled some more just to take a step.

"_What's wrong with her?"_ Bowser asked impatiently. _"We have to get the Hell outta here now!"_

"It's her ankles," Fyre explained as he ran over to help, "They're… kinda swollen…"

"C-Condition…" Kage managed to gasp as she rubbed her sore limbs, "I-I'll be fine if I-"

_Thwack!_

An arrow lodged itself just inches to the right of her ear. With a gasp of surprise, Kage pushed over both Fyre and Doggie to avoid another one, this one covered in flames, aimed directly at her face. Two short Smashers glared down at the three slaves from up above, both of them wielding powerful looking bows. While one was flimsier with flaming arrows, the other was stronger and more durable. All in all, it was one deadly two man archer team.

_Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

Another three arrows bit the flesh of the retreating guardians as they ran into the woods, Fyre and Doggie dragging a limping Kage. It wasn't long before Young and Toon Link grew tired of shooting arrows and instead jumped down themselves and chased the guardians into the woods. Twin swords flashed through the air, twin cuts were produced on Doggie's arm as she fought to defend the other two from the attacks.

"AH!" she stumbled and fell, clutching her arm as it bled a fountain of blood. Fyre managed to help Kage over to a small clearing, but there was just no way he would make it on time to save Doggie.

Doggie was really in on it now. With her allies too far away to help and little options left, she could only wait as the two boys before her dashed forward with their swords flashing white hot in the dim light. She rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another rain of blows as the two young Smashers did a double spin attack in hopes of hitting her at least once.

"Go!" she shouted to the other two as she dodged behind a tree to avoid the arrow rain. "I'll hold them off as best as I can for now!"

"Doggie, that's suicide!" Fyre protested. Kage tried to get up, only to fall back down with a scream of pain as her ankles throbbed and pulsed. They were raw red, mostly from the running, but also from the abuse she had received in the factories of Tabuu. With every passing second, it was as if she was reliving every single slash of the whip upon her shoulders once again. ROB did his best to soothe the pain, but he only made it worse.

"Doggie, please!" Kage begged as she struggled to her feet, using Fyre's shoulder for support. "Doggie!"

"Go!" Doggie screeched as she leaped aside to avoid the arrows. "GO!"

"We're not leaving you he-"

"GO!"

At that moment, three arrows appeared as if from nowhere and slammed themselves into the girl's legs. While two only hit her calves, one rammed itself right into her thigh, causing the blood to drain out in torrents. Doggie collapsed to her knees, a scream ripping from her throat. This was painful, too painful to endure. King Dedede had felt nothing like this before, not even when he was soundly defeated by Kirby, not even when he was forced right out of his beloved body and into a jar, not even when he was forced to watch helpless as Dreamland fell forever…

This was the end…

* * *

They landed with a resounding _thud!_ Ness became aware of about three bodies pressing down on top of Picho. Desperate to get out from under the great mass, the boy struggled to his feet, only to be forced down again in a great tangle of arms and legs. Something- he assumed was Rinku's foot- kicked at his jaw and nearly dislocated it.

"Ow!"

"Rinku, that's my leg!" Cimar sounded annoyed.

"Your leg! _My_ ribs!" Rinku shouted. Someone's elbow had just jabbed itself into his ribcage and cut off his air.

Picho sniffed the air and immediately gagged. "Who had garlic for lunch?"

Rinku rolled his eyes. "We didn't have lunch, stupid!"

"I'm hungry!" Pichn gasped as he finally wriggled himself free. The other three guardians wrestled each other for just a few minutes more before finally untangling themselves and lying down on the floor in sprawling heaps.

Picho groaned and rubbed his head. "Ugh… that was one crazy ride…" He used what felt like a nearby table to hoist himself up, not caring that his hand was travelling through an entire century's worth of dust.

"_You're telling me…"_ Ness groaned, feeling very sick inside, _"What does a boy have to do around here to get a good night's sleep…?"_

"And why are we all standing in the dark?" Cimar asked, "Stand back, everyone."

The faint noises of shuffling followed this as the other three guardians backed up as far as they could against the walls. They couldn't tell exactly where Cimar was standing, but the extremely faint outline standing in the center of the room gave them a few ideas. Cimar squinted into the darkness, trying to make sure that the other boys were as far away from him as possible. When he was absolutely sure that the faint outlines of his fellows were way out of range, he raised his palm in the air, feeling the pulsating waves of great power and heat radiating from his fingers.

"DIN'S FIRE!'

_Fwoosh!_

A great ball of fire burst forth from the young man's fingers spraying heat and power into the air and illuminating the room. Huge embers flew every which way as the great ball of fire grew in size and power until it was nearly the size of a human head. Taking care not to release the ball of flame, Cimar lowered his hand and watched as the tiny fire illuminated their surroundings.

The three were standing in a bedroom of some kind, filled with two sets of bunk beds. The bunk beds were all rather rickety and cheap looking, but they seemed sturdy enough to hold someone the size of Ganondorf at least. They were all identical except for the differently colored sheets on the beds: lilac purple, forest green, jet black, and plain white. The room itself was rather simple, consisting of only a cheap wooden desk, an uncomfortable looking wooden chair, and the tiniest wardrobe ever seen.

Cimar suddenly became aware of a small sound in his head. It was small and sad, like a sob. He raised an eyebrow.

"Uh… you okay, Zelda?"

"_This room…" _the princess whispered, her eyes sweeping every inch of the cobwebbed and dust filled area, _"It's just that… I…"_ She took a deep, shuddering breath. _"It… it brings back memories…"_

Meanwhile, Picho and Pichn had long lost interest in the room and had just pushed open the door leading out with a resounding _creak!_ Before either of the two Hylians could stop them, the twins were already racing each other down the darkened hall, past a great many doors identified only by crudely carved pictures on them.

"Oh, those two are _so_ in trouble now!" Rinku fumed, stomping out of the room after them. As he left, the princess could've sworn that she saw a flicker of forest green smoke coming from his ear. The princess knew only one man would possibly want to stay behind and look at this room…

… A room that held an awful lot of painful memories…

"_Cimar… you go ahead and catch up to those guys,"_ Zelda said slowly, watching Link's cloud from the corner of her eye. _"I… I need a moment alone…"_

Cimar raised an eyebrow. "As you wish, princess…" He walked out and closed the door behind him, just as Zelda managed to emerge and partially materialized in the centre of the room.

Though the room was pitch black, Link's familiar features were accentuated by the glow he seemed to carry with him. In fact, if all of the Smashers were put together in this same room in their gaseous form, all of them would be glowing.

But that wasn't important to her right now…

She walked over to him, her blood pounding in her ears. That one moment by the lake only minutes before was still fresh in her mind. She had been so close, so _tempted_ to do something right then and there, but she was interrupted. When they had left Hyrule, she was brought back to her senses and once again, Link became the quiet, distant man she had come to know over years of coaxing words out of him. And again, she had faded into her guardian's mind, her heart ready to burst with what she felt. But now, here he was again…

And so was the temptation…

She realized that she was staring at him again, drinking in his every feature from his square jaw to his pointed ears. He cocked his head slightly when he noticed her staring, causing the princess to look down and blush. The Hero of Twilight was a breathtaking sight, a wondrous spectacle of light in the dark abyss of what Smashville had become in the past 100 years.

And there was no doubt that she loved him…

"_Princess…"_ his voice cut her, slicing like a knife through her very being. It was harsh, much harsher than she had ever heard. What was more, it was laced with stiff formality and indifference that was usually only reserved for the Hylian Royal Council. She stared in disbelief into her fellow Hylian's eyes, but like his voice, both of them were stone cold.

"_Link…"_ she whispered, _"Why…?"_

The Hero turned away from her, tearing up on the inside because he was completely unable to shed the tears he wished to shed. _"You and me… we… I'm sorry, Zelda, but… but…"_ His hands were shaking as he spoke, the tremors ripping through him like earthquakes. _"We can't be together… if… if the guardians fail… if __**I**__ fail to protect Rinku… if Cimar fails to protect you… the pain… it'll be too much to bear… I will never be able to forgive myself if you die because of this war… because of all this pain that my failure brought upon you and all the guardians…"_

"_Link…"_ Zelda was aghast. What madness had driven him to this? _"Link… what are you saying…?"_

He placed his hands on her shoulders. _"Princess… if anything, I'd… I'd like nothing more than to be with you, but… but right now… now isn't the time…"_

"…" Zelda remained silent.

"_I swear to you that if both of us make it out alive…"_ the Hero hesitated here, unsure of what to say. There were a million things he wanted to say, but he just couldn't find the words. His passion for the princess had grown over the years they were forced to be locked inside their glass prisons, but now…

What was it?

She placed a hand on his cheek, thankful that her form prevented her from blushing. _"Shh… there's no need to say it… I understand…"_ They leaned in…

"OW! DAMMIT, RINKU!"

"It wasn't me, I swear!"

"Yeah Cimar, quit blaming your boyfriend for everything!"

"Why you little…" Cimar's voice was followed by the sound of footsteps thundering down the hallway. The two Hylians exchanged looks before floating out of the room, ready to take over if needed.

The scene they found by the time they reached the kitchen was a rather typical one. Pichn was digging his way through the fridge, eating everything in sight. He was assisted slightly by Rinku who often wrestled him for the chocolate stuffed in there. Cimar was chasing Picho around, aiming arrows at the boy as he ran around laughing like a maniac.

"Admit it!" he laughed, "Cimar and Rinku sitting in a tree, F- U-"

"Quiet you!" the two guardians said at the same time. Cimar shot another light arrow at Picho, who dodged it easily. But the boy was unable to dodge the bowl of chocolate pudding from Rinku, much to Pichn's chagrin.

"That's a perfectly good waste of pudding!" he said angrily. Kirby licked his lips as the pudding slid down Picho's face. He struggled to contain his jealousy as the boy happily lapped it up. Without so much as a look at each other, Link and Zelda quietly slipped back into their guardians' minds.

"_You best not waste the food,"_ Zelda said when she settled herself, _"After all, soon enough, we might have thirty five mouths to feed…"_

"Zelda's right," Cimar agreed, even though none of the others could hear the princess, "We should really stop wasting all that food and save it. After all, we can't fight on empty stomachs."

"Here, here!" the other three chorused happily.

"_Popo! Popo! Did you hear that?"_ a voice asked excitedly. The four guardians froze, listening intently. The noise seemed to be coming from the room next door, the room the Smashers knew to be the "meeting room". _"There are people here! And… and I thought I heard them mention Princess Zelda!"_

"_Hold you horses, Nana,"_ a male voice answered, _"You don't know if those guys are friends… or Tabuu's Subspace people…"_

"_Popo, stop being so paranoid!"_ Nana chided, _"Master Hand's been gone for decades already! Surely if Tabuu actually sent anyone to smash our jars open, he would've sent them the moment Master Hand disappeared!"_ She then raised her voice to call out to the four newcomers. _"Please, don't be afraid! We won't hurt you! We merely wish to know who you are and why you are here! Please, come out! We heard you mention Princess Zelda and we're friends with her, you see…"_

Kirby was the first one to get over his shock. _"That's Nana! She's a Smasher too!"_ he smiled fondly at the memory of the two Iceclimbers, who were never seen apart. _"She used to give me her leftovers at dinner!"_

Pichn finished licking the pudding off his face and grinned. "Well, let's go guys!" He grabbed his brother by the arm and started dragging him out. Before leaving the room, he stood in the doorframe and wriggled his eyebrows mischievously. "Of course, unless the happy couple wants to-"He and his brother ran away hooting with laughter when a small ball of flame narrowly missed them.

Kirby's excitement mounted as the four guardians entered the room. Everywhere he looked, he saw all too familiar surroundings, bringing back memories of how he was forced to stay trapped in the jar, forced to stare at these exact pieces of furniture for a century, dreaming of the foods he could no longer eat. Here were the chairs that were once used by the Smashers for meetings, here was the huge cabinet that held documents upon documents for all to see, and here was the great wall of bookcases filled with materials to read…

But what truly caught his eye was the huge table in the very center of the room, covered with a century's worth of dust. Numerous jars were scattered upon this table, many of them overturned and empty. Off to the sides of the room, there were even more overturned and even shattered jars, opened when they were flung against the wall by some unknown force. Kirby smiled when he saw this great mess.

It was just like home.

Out of the seven jars that still had pulsing coloured blobs in them, one stood out in particular to each of the Smashers and guardians. This one had not one, but _two_ separate colours swirling within it: blue and pink. Often times, the blue would overlap the pink for just a minute and vice versa, creating a swirling vortex of colour. Both of them had a pair of deep brown eyes that smiled happily as the four guardians approached.

"_Welcome!"_ the feminine voice said, _"I'm Nana and this is my brother, Popo!"_

"_Nana!"_ Kirby felt like he was going to cry. Not far away, Ness' bottom lip trembled as he remembered the good times with the two climbers. But he shook his head, reminding himself that he had grown up and matured over such childish games.

Nana gazed at each guardian in turn, her eyes twinkling happily. _"Wow! You guys look just like how I imagined! How do you do, Cimar?"_ She smiled at the young man. _"Rinku?"_ She nodded at the blonde Hylian.

"_Nice to meet you, Picho and Pichn!"_ Popo said cheerfully. Behind him, the six other blobs of color murmured greetings. The bright yellow and purple one let out something that sounded a _lot_ like a fart.

"Uh…" Kirby felt Pichn shift awkwardly. "How do you know who we are…?"

"_Oh, Princess Zelda and Sir Link told us all about you guys!"_ Nana exclaimed cheerfully, _"Kirby and Ness too, when they came… Oh, I remember this one time when-"_

"_Miss-a Nana?"_ a white cloud of gas interrupted, _"Perhaps-a you should proceed-a to the information-a…"_

"_Right, sorry!"_ Nana let out a sheepish little laugh. The four guardians looked at each other for a moment. Whether it was some sort of understanding that passed between them or the growling of their own stomachs, it didn't matter. At the same time, all four of them knew exactly what the first question on their mind was.

"Well, first thing's first," Cimar said briskly, "Is there any way we can gather more food? These two," he gestured at Rinku and Pichn, "Ate half of it."

Nana clucked her tongue. _"Boys will be boys…"_ she rolled her eyes before speaking again. _"Don't worry about that. Master Hand put some kind of spell on it so that it would never run out of food as long as at least one guardian stays in this base… he did that the day… the day before…"_ her voice wavered and faltered. Instead, she descended into what sounded like a whole barrage of dry, tearless sobs.

"… _The… the day before…"_ Popo took a deep breath. _"The day before both he and Crazy left us…"_

Kirby suddenly had a brief memory of that fateful day…

* * *

**(flashback)**

_He was watching as Master Hand put meat, butter, bread… all the food anyone would want in the fridge and the cabinet. Being the one jar that had the best view of the kitchen, it had been agonizing torture for him to stare at it day after day, unable to go in. _

"_I am leaving you all…" the hand announced after placing a small jar of cookies onto a counter. "I'm afraid… I'm afraid that my presence here is no longer needed for the time being…"_

"_But Master Hand!" Captain Falcon had protested, "We can't defend ourselves like this! What if Tabuu comes back and smashes our jars before we can see our guardians!"_

_The giant floating hand had looked solemnly at the racer's jar and shook his head. "There is no need to worry, Captain Falcon… both my brother and I have taken the most careful of precautions to-"_

"_BRUTHA!" Crazy Hand shouted from the next room, "BRUTHA! I can't find da cookiez! I NEEDZ DA COOKIEZ!" _

_Master Hand sighed. "Erm… I have them, Crazy, don't worry!"_

"_I WANTZ DA COOKIEZ!"_

"_Smashers…. You are all wonderful, wonderful warriors… the greatest in the world…" Master Hand's voice cracked as he spoke. "I know that whatever happens, you'll be able to take care of your guardians… I know that when the time comes, all of you will put your talents together to defeat Tabuu once and for all… "_

"_And if we should fail?" Meta Knight demanded. He was still angered, bitter over everything he lost._

_Master Hand shook his"head". "Do not allow that to concern you, Smashers… you are all capable of being the protectors of the ones who shall swear and dedicate their lives to helping you achieve your goals…"_

"_Do you really think so, Master Hand?" Red the Pokemon Trainer asked._

_For a moment, Kirb could've sworn that Master Hand almost smiled at the 35 jars in front of him. "… I know so…"_

_The Smashers began whispering amongst themselves. Just as Master Hand was about to depart the room, a single voice spoke up above the others, a young, innocent little voice._

"_When are you coming back, Master Hand?" Pichu asked, eyes shining with worry. The hand had stopped in the doorway, casting one last melancholy look at the little Pokemon who had been loved by so many. He seemed to wish to say something, but only shook his "head" when he tried to. Finally, he turned to face every single Smasher, almost staring at them right in the eye._

"_I promise you, Smashers…" he whispered, "Both of us… my brother and I… we shall return… we will return when cowards gain courage and the final Smashball returns… I promise you…" Without another word, he had floated away, leaving behind the Smashers he had raised and cared for like his own children. Some cried while others could only sit there and stare, wondering what was going on. There was a flash of white light…_

_And then, nothing…_

**(end flashback)

* * *

**

"… I'm sorry for your loss…" Cimar murmured, "All of your losses…"

Nana shook her cloud. _"It can't be helped… what has happened has happened… we can't change it…"_ She smiled at the guardians. _"I'm just glad that… that at least we're doing what Master Hand has always believed was ri-"_

Both Cimar's and Rinku's pointed ears suddenly twitched. Blinking in surprise and confusion, the two Hylians exchanged glances before bolting out of the room. Picho and Pichn barely had time to blink before the two were gone. With twin apologetic glances at the still trapped Smashers, the boys followed their longtime companions out. They found them near the edge of the summit overlooking Smashville, staring at something that seemed to be off in the distance.

"What the _Hell_ is that thing!" Rinku demanded.

"It looks like an aircraft of some kind…" Cimar's voice was filled with interest, "But it's nothing like I've ever seen in Hyrule…"

"Says the guy who spent half his life underground," Picho said with a roll of his eyes as he stepped forward. "I say those are aliens coming to EAT US!"

Ness scoffed. _"Please… those are aliens coming to DESTROY THE WORLD!"_

Pichn grinned. "Who knows? Maybe those aliens will be friendly!"

"_And give us cool alien food!"_ Kirby said excitedly.

Though the boys eagerly awaited the coming of the flying airships, Cimar looked more worried than excited. He frowned as the ships came closer, their wings shining in the faint light. It was strange to see three ships seem to randomly appear out of nowhere, but as with many people, Cimar saw these ships as potential enemies. Still, he kept his silence and could only wait.

"_Do not fear, Cimar,"_ Zelda assured him, _"Whatever comes out of those ships, you, the twins, and Rinku can fight them… and if need be, the Smashers shall take over…"_

Cimar nodded. "Yes… whatever happens, we'll be able to handle it…" The ships were even closer now. One of them, the smallest and sleekest one, pushed itself ahead of the others. It approached the summit, still partially covered by the clouds. It came closer, closer, closer…

_BZZT!_

"Holy shit!" Rinku cursed as a lightning bolt appeared out of nowhere. It struck the ship on the side, causing a part of the wing to go flying off into space. Another bolt of lightning and a larger chunk of the same wing went flying. Even without Hylian ears, Picho and Pichn could easily hear the screams of a bunch of people inside.

"_They need help!"_ Kirby shouted.

Pichn nodded. "On it!" But before any of them could take a step, something very thin and blue in colour fell from the sky and onto the ship itself. It landed and paused for a moment before standing up and revealing itself. Zelda recoiled in shock when she recognized what it was.

"_A Blue Alloy! Master Hand built those and based them off my fighting style!" _As she said these words, a red one fell from the sky. _"What the…?"_

"They're everywhere!" Picho yelled as he pointed upwards. "Look!"

Sure enough, they _were_ everywhere. They would fall from the skies and land easily on top of one of the three ships. Soon, they were _everywhere_, right to the point where every single surface on the ships was simply covered in Alloys.

"… Should I be worried for the guys on those ships or happy that we won't have to fight all that much?" Pichn asked. As if in answer to his question, something else fell from the sky.

This one was pink in colour, with some kind of symbol for a head. It seemed to be made of a mesh of wire, powered by a glowing sphere in its core. The four Smashers with their guardians still standing on the summit recognised it immediately.

"_A Wire Frame!"_ Ness gasped.

"_I thought Master Hand got rid of those!"_ Zelda took a step back.

"_If that's a male one, then that means…"_ Link gulped, _"There's a female one somewhere as well…"_

"_And there are even more coming!"_ Kirby pointed upwards, where true to his word, Wire Frames _and_ Alloys were now falling from the sky.

Rinku drew his sword. "What are we waiting for! We need to help them!" He charged at the ships.

Cimar was in the middle of pulling out his bow when he couldn't help but notice something in the corner of his eye. "Rinku, wait! Don't-"

_BZZT!_

"AHHHHHH!" the prince was hurled back before he could even reach the edge of the summit. He slammed onto the ground where he shakily got up, panting. All around the summit, a dome of what looked like pure green energy could be seeing flashing in the sky. It was there only a moment before it disappeared again.

"What the Hell was that!" Rinku demanded angrily.

Cimar calmly walked up to the summit and held his hand up to where the barrier should be. The barrier appeared, shimmering slightly. Its energy vibrated onto the Hylian's hand before he removed it and it was gone again.

"Looks like some kind of impenetrable barrier…" he muttered, "Whatever's happening, we can't get out to save them…"

"… That's a load of bullshit…" Rinku got up and frowned at the ships. "There's gotta be _something_ we can do…"

Picho frowned as well as he stared at the ships. "… Maybe… maybe there's something we _can_ do…" He rubbed his hands together, little embers of flame already licking his fingertips. "PK FIRE!" A column of fire rose from his hands and blasted its way towards the Alloys and Wire Frames that covered the ships. Only a few fell off, but it didn't take long for anyone to realize the significance of what he did.

"Pichn! Go get some arrows!" Cimar shouted as the lightning began crackling all around them.

"_Where would we find arrows!"_ Kirby asked as his guardian dashed through the halls.

"I don't know!" Pichn said desperately, "But… we can still ask the Smashers, right?" Without waiting for an answer, Pichn wrenched the door to the room of jars open and ran inside. He waved to the greetings the Smashers gave him and instead skidded to a stop right in front of Nana's jar.

"Nana, please tell me you know where you guys keep arrows!" he shouted, shaking the jar slightly to emphasize his hurry.

Nana's eyes widened. _"Arrows! What for!"_

"We're under attack!" Pichn explained, "We need arrows, _now!_"

Nana paused for a moment. _"… Well… there used to be the-"_

_CRACK!_

"What the…?" Pichn screamed in pain as the jar he held suddenly grew white hot. All around him, the room was shaking and the wind howled in his ears. The boy was throat right off his feet, his face a mess of cuts and bruises from the bits of broken glass that flew at him and from where he hit the wall.

Three of the jars were shaking. Nana's and Popo's were easily recognizable from their dual colors, but the other two that shook and quacked were both brown in color. The only difference between the latter two were that one cloud was larger than the other and that the smaller cloud had the slightest red tinge to it. Pichn ran forward to stop the jars' shaking, but something held him back.

"_Nana! Popo!"_ Kirby screamed, _"Donkey! Diddy!"_ He watched with tear filled eyes as the jars shook faster and faster. _"Be free!"_

At that moment, as if in answer to the puffball's call, the three jars were slammed against the far wall and the top popped right off. The two brown coloured gases flew out immediately, as did the blue streak. The only one that remained behind, the pink streak, floated in front of Pichn and smiled at him.

"_Check the armory,"_ she said, _"There used to be a nice supply of arrows…"_ Her grin seemed to widen. _"Good luck… I'll be joining you soon…"_

"_C'mon, Nana!"_ Popo shouted from outside as he looked in on her.

"_Coming!"_ Nana gave one last smile at Pichn and her fellow Smashers. _"Goodbye! I'll see you all soon!"_

She turned tail and flew away, away from the shelter she had known for over a hundred years, away from the thing that had long since been her prison. No more glass, no more dust, no more cobwebs…

She was free at last…

* * *

Silence…

That was all there was…

Complete and utter silence…

Silence that rang for miles around…

Silence that was louder than any gunshot ever heard…

Silence…

"H-Heather…" it was the one sound that broke the silence. Slowly, the eye of every single guardian fell on the speaker, a certain tiny brunette still dressed in the rags she wore when she escaped.

"That was…" Wrath was next to break the silence. He shifted awkwardly. "Just… just weird…"

"I…" Cameron shook his head. "I… I can't believe… I threatened to pummel the asshole…" he glared at the person he was talking about. "But… she… Heather… Holy crap…"

Nask blinked and got out of the defensive stance she had been standing in, realizing that she was trying to protect Ridere during the whole time Heather was screaming. By this time, the boy had backed away and was awkwardly standing next to her, watching as Psyche simply stared off into the distance.

"We have to go find her…" Psyche whispered. "She can be hurt… or something!"

Sakura shook her head. "It's true… but… but what if she's… too _dangerous_ to be around us right now, Psyche?"

Psyche turned on her with teary eyes. "Dangerous! Heather isn't dangerous! She's just… she just has a problem… but she can fix it, I know she can!"

"Psyche…" Squall walked up to her. "Look, I know I haven't known Heather for very long, but…" He scratched the back of his head. "It's time we get to be realistic here…" He took a deep breath. "As much as you care about Heather, we have to face reality, Psyche… she's _dangerous_. I mean, you saw how she screamed… she nearly _killed_ Golfer… and you're just willing to approach her in that state?"

Psyche's fists shook with anger at that remark. "The way you talk about her… it's like… it's like she's a wild animal to you!"

Squall bit his lip and took a step back. "I… in a way… she is a sort of a wild animal… we all are… but she's _dangerous_… if she gets any closer to us, who knows what will happen?"

"She's a guardian too, you know!" Psyche sobbed. "She's a guardian and you think I'll just abandon her, just like that you heartless jerk?"

Squall shifted uncomfortably. "I…"

"I'm finished! FINISHED!" Eric cheered as he threw his wrench in the air and caught it expertly with one hand. Almost right after Heather left, he had started working almost obsessively on the three broken ships. He needed something, anything to take his mind off of what had just happened, and his work paid off. With Joe's help, he had finally managed to fix the ships.

That was when the mood broke. Glaring silently at Squall, Psyche left in a huff and sat in a tiny corner of the clearing. Other guardians blinked and got set to work doing what they were supposed to do. Though Heather's disappearance had left them worried and shaken, now was not the time to fret over it.

With or without her, they were going to get up Mount Smash.

"_Impressive work, Eric,"_ Lucario complimented him, _"But… is that really necessary?"_ He gestured to the Mudkip sticker on Eric's window.

Eric grinned. "Of course! I liek Mudkipz!"

"Hey Eric!" Ridere waved from inside the cockpit of Aly's ship. "I herd u liek mudkipz!"

Eric waved back. "Yep!"

Snake facepalmed. _"Why…? Out of all the humans in Smashville, why you, of all people!"_

Joe pushed himself out from under Mars' Arwing and stretched. "Well, all that one actually needed was a good oil change…" With no where else to wipe his hands, he did it on the grass.

Lin bobbed over curiously, taking care not to touch any loose parts of the three planes. "They're… done…?"

Eric proudly slapped Joe on the back. "That's right! I've never seen better mechanic skills, Joe!"

Joe shrugged. "I have to work on my car all the time… Sam's too busy being a lazy bum to do anything and Chester's… Chester." Joe ducked as one of Sam's katanas sailed over his head.

"I heard that!" Sam snapped.

"_That was mean!"_ Young Link added. _"Throw the boomerang at him!"_

"Young, your boomerang is a piece of wood… it won't hurt him!"

"_It'll… um… it'll give him a big huge splinter!"_

Cameron came over as well, a scowl clearly etched on his face. "Can we just pack up and go already? Those two," he pointed at two certain guardians on opposite ends of the clearing. "Are starting to piss both me _and_ Ike off!"

"We're all pretty mad at them, Cam…" Psyche said uneasily. She was still worried, very worried, about Heather. That scream of rage… that anguished cry… it had pierced both heart and soul of every guardian for miles around. Heather was a strong woman, but unpredictable as well. Psyche worried for not only the Wolfon's but everyone else's safety.

After all, she _had_ seen her rage first hand…

"_She'll be fine,"_ Pit said, answering Psyche's unasked question for the tenth time that day. _"Chill out, will you?"_

Cameron kicked the dirt. "I still don't get it… why can't I just punch the asshole and be done with it?"

"Uh… how about because Pikana will kill you for starting _another_ fight between teammates?" Sam offered as he yanked his katana out of the tree.

"… _She didn't say anything about Smashers!"_ Ike said cheerfully, _"C'mon Cam, lemme take over…"_

"No! Not if I'm going to have my body maimed and castrated by some crazy Chu all because _you_ hogged all the fun!" Cam crossed his arms. "And that's _final_!"

Sakura looked concernedly at Golfer over on the other side of the clearing, guarded by Wrath, Nask, and Lin. While Lin and Wrath were on task, Nask was… distracted. Sakura could tell that there was just something that bothered her at the moment, whether it was the task she was given or something else. Sakura wasn't all too sure, but she made a mental note to Nask about it later.

"_She isn't the only one that seems distracted today,"_ Peach pointed out, _"Looks like Mah and Beeh are a bit off right now as well…"_

It turned out that the princess was only half right. Beeh was chatting away to her Pikmin like nothing was wrong, but Mah remained awfully quiet as she stared at the little girl. Once or twice she would open her mouth to speak, only to close it again as Beeh plucked up Pikmin and cheerfully threw them in the air. The little creatures made a squeally noise as they were thrown, but Beeh never looked over her shoulder, never seeing the way Mah was looking at her.

"_Those two look kind of alike, don't they?"_ Peach asked as she looked back and forth between the two girls. Sakura only shrugged in response.

"I'm bored…" Eric said as he put away his toolkit. "Someone should go out there and look for Aly, Mars, and that zombie guy…"

Joe shook his head. "And get in the way of that girl's guns? No thanks."

Eric frowned. "We'll need those two pilots here if we're ever going to get these things in the sky…"

"_What if-"_

Eric read the thought even before Lucario could voice it. "Uh uh! No way! No one except the three pilots are driving these things!"

"_I was merely stating an idea…"_

"A horrible idea!" Eric insisted, "There's no way I'm letting _anyone_ drive these ships who are not named Mars, Aly, or Eric!"

"What about people named Sam?" Sam asked eagerly. He loved taking things for joyrides.

"_Certainly_ not people named Sam!"

"_Maybe you should get out of here and help look for those three,"_ Snake suggested as Ridere began rifling his way through the mini refrigerator he found near the back of the plane, wedged in between a bunch of suitcases. The boy finished digging through for a moment to answer.

"Hm… maybe I should… but first…" he took a potato chip out of a bag he was holding. "I will take this potato chip…" He paused dramatically. "AND EAT IT!"

"_Ugh…"_ Snake facepalmed.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MAH CHIPS!" a girl's voice shouted not far away. Every single guardian standing in the clearing turned and watched as Aly struggled her way through the bushes. Two of her holsters lacked guns and there were a few cuts on her face from the branches, but she was otherwise unscathed. Mars followed only a few seconds after her while Chester trailed behind. The undead boy looked uneasily at the others before going to stand next to Joe.

Aly stomped into her Arwing and grabbed the bag out of Ridere's hands. "Can't you read?"

"… No…"

Aly blinked. "… Well, don't touch mah chips!"

Mars looked his Sky Claw over once. "Hm… not bad, Eric… it's just that…" He pointed to a speck of dirt on the window. "You missed a spot."

"_Then clean it up, you lazy bum!"_ Falco scoffed. _"Back in my day, we would use our own spit to clean our windows!"_

"C'mon, Mars, I've fixed pretty much every part of that ship… _surely_ you can clean off one little speck of dirt?"

Mars rolled his eyes. "Fine…" He reached in his pocket and took out his coin. "Heads Eric cleans it, tails I clean. Deal?"

"_Fine by me,"_ Falco said.

Eric nodded. "A fifty- fifty chance…" He smirked. "You're not gonna be so lucky this time, Mars!"

Mars flicked his coin up in the air and caught it with relative ease. "… Heads!" Now it was his turn to smirk. "Start cleaning, wench!" He walked away, leaving a seething Eric behind in his wake.

"He rigs that coin of his, I swear it!" Eric muttered as he started scrubbing away.

Though it didn't take long to clean up the spot of dirt, it still took a while to load all the guardians into the Arwings. Complaints from pretty much everyone, plus Aly's insistence of _not_ dumping her luggage to make room took up most of the hour. By the time the three ships were ready to take off, the sun had already given up trying to shine through the dank clouds that had long covered Smashville and sank back into the darkness. Had it not been for Eric's aura seeing ability, Sakura's encouragement, and Cameron's subtle threats, the others would've taken a lot longer and be forced to wait until the next morning.

But in a world like this, that was something they could never afford.

Pichu shook with fear and excitement as Chester boarded Mars' ship, following just behind a still _pissed_ Pikana. The little Pokemon had never truly traveled in the skies before, so this was both an adventure and a great fear to him. Being one to stay well away from the great unknown, Pichu was both fearful and excited by the prospect of flying for the first time in his life.

"OW! Watch the tail!" Pikana groaned, yanking her tail out from under Chester's foot. Pichu's guardian backed away in fear of the girl.

"S-Sorry!" he apologized. At that same moment, he backed into Cameron, who was the last to climb aboard. Sigmund gave off sparks at his touch, almost shutting down the Sky Claw's systems. "Sorry again!"

"Hey! You people better not be messing with my stuff back there!" Mars yelled over his shoulder. "Aly's going to _kill_ me if anything happens to her spare bullets!"

"_Like Hell I am!"_ Aly's voice cheerfully crackled over his radio. _"I could use a new target for target practice, anyways. Eric's getting a bit… dull… And what's taking you two so long? I'm ready to fly!"_

Pichu watched in sheer fascination as Mars picked up his radio and started speaking into it. It was like a magical box! He could talk to someone in another one of those planes with that thing! For once, Pichu forgot all about the prowling shadows all around Chester's mind.

"I've got everyone in here," Mars replied, "Let's see… Cam, Nask, Chester, Ridere, Pikana, and… wait, where's Psyche?"

Pichu looked out the nearest window. _"There she is, Chester! She's just standing there…"_

Chester nodded. "… She's an awfully quiet one, isn't she…?"

Pichu frowned. _"Maybe she needs a hug… give her a hug, Chester! A nice, warm, happy hug!"_

Chester did a double take. "Wait, what!"

"_You can give free hugs to everyone!"_ Pichu said cheerfully, _"Then people will stop being so scared of you!"_

"I am _not_ giving free hugs to people!" Chester hissed.

"_Okay… then say your hugs are only one Smashcoin! Then you can buy me wipes!"_

Chester rolled his eyes and got out of the Sky Claw, despite Mars' protests. There was definitely something wrong with the girl. Ever since Chester arrived in the clearing, she was actually the only one that didn't greet him when he was introduced by Joe. She only gave him a sad smile and a small nod before walking away, not saying so much as a 'hello'.

"Uh… Hey, you're Psyche, right?" Chester asked, "Guardian of Pit?"

Psyche jumped at the sound of his voice. "Oh!"

"_See Chester? You need to give her free hugs,"_ Pichu said pointedly.

Chester waited until the girl recovered herself. "Uh… well, you know who I am…"

A few seconds passed before Psyche gave him a tiny nod. "Yeah…. You have Pichu in your head…" She looked over her shoulder as she spoke, staring longingly at a small clump of bushes before looking back at him. "It's… it's nice to meet you, I guess…"

"You seem distracted," he observed casually. Almost at the same time, the girl looked over her shoulder again, as if hoping that something… or some_one_ would burst out of those bushes. "Are you alright?'

Pichu watched as the girl bit her lip and looked over her shoulder again. "I'm… I'm just worried, I guess… about Heather…"

Chester had heard a little bit about this "Heather". From what Joe had told him while helping Eric work on the planes, this woman was a truly formidable person. Though kind and strong, there was supposedly something about her that caused most of the guardians to shy away from her. Joe had told him about how frightening… how truly _horrible_ she was when angered. He had witnessed it first-hand, or so he said, as two guardians argued against each other. Something within the young woman had exploded with the force of a Subspace Bomb and then…

… nothing…

"She'll be fine…" Chester said uneasily, "I mean, from what I heard, she's a really strong person, so…"

"It's not that," Psyche said quietly, "I'm just worried that… well, we're leaving her behind… I'm just worried about how she'll feel about us leaving her behind…"

Chester placed his good hand on her shoulder and carefully steered her towards the open door of Mars' Sky Claw. "Don't worry… she'll find her way to Mount Smash, eventually…"

Mars closed the door as soon as they entered. Grinning like a fool, he took his seat and eagerly began flipping switches. Pichu watched in even more fascination as lights started flashing everywhere. They were so pretty!

"Activating turbo thrusters…" Mars muttered as he worked, "Getting plane up in the air… fastening seat belt… radar online…"

"_Prepared to activate Ludicrous Speed option!"_ Eric shouted over the radio, _"We fly on your mark, Aly!"_

The guardians clamoured over to the windows to watch as the Arwings lifted themselves in the air, spewing a strange smelling gas into the skies. Pichu felt a strange pull in his gut as he watched the ground disappear below him. A long time ago, he would have never believed that he would ever be strong enough, _brave_ enough, to even dare take off like this. He had dwelled in the ground for so long that he never thought, never _dreamed_ that he would someday be flying through the air.

"Whoa… check out that bloodstain!" Cam laughed as he pointed down below him, "That looks like Mario's face!"

Ridere squeezed in next to him. "… I think that _is_ Mario's face…"

"Fasten your seatbelts everyone!" Mars called over his shoulder. "And please, for the love of God, _don't_ barf!" Before any of them could do a thing, his finger had already moved to the small red switch on his dashboard.

_BOOM!_

"_AHHHH!"_ Pichu screamed as the pull in his guts was strengthened to a full out yank at the moment Mars' finger touched the switch. All around him, he watched every guardian's face as each of them twisted from surprise, to fear, to utter airsickness. Nask even leaned over and puked in the nearest bucket as the plane blasted its way through the air streams all around them.

The wind howled in Chester's ears, his eyes were slammed back against his skull as the Arwing shot like a bullet to its destination. Pichu could've sworn that his guardian's skin was peeling right off the bone at times, but at other times, he could only tremble in fear and excitement as the plane struggled to keep itself in one piece. It was as if every nerve in his body was screaming for release, the way the skin seemed to pull back upon his muscles, sinew, and bones, clawing its way forth and away from the body itself. It was so horrible…

… and yet, it felt so good…

"MY BRAINS ARE GOING TO MY FEEEEEET!" Chester howled over the racket.

"WHAT BRAINS!" Pikana yelled back. She had grabbed onto Cam's scarf and was hanging on for dear life. The mercenary, meanwhile, had somehow managed to pin one of the many cherry red suitcases to the floor of the Arwing and was holding onto _that_ to stay alive. Nask had positioned herself over Ridere, as if she was guarding him or something. Every time the boy tried to dart past her, she would only grab onto the back of his shirt and pull him back down under her. There was something in her face that threw Chester off…

"OW! PIKANA, GET YOUR BLOODY HANDS OFF MY SCARF!" Cam yelled as the ship gave a particularly powerful lurch and the crimson piece of cloth was forced tighter around his neck. "OW! ASHERA DAMMIT, PIKANA!"

"Al… most…" Mars struggled to reach for the red switch. "Hold… on…"

"_Press it!"_ Falco yelled over the noise, _"Those guys back there are gonna puke some more any second!"_ He winced as Nask threw up some more in a nearby bucket, allowing Ridere to escape.

Pichu watched Mars struggling for the switch, only for his hand to be caught in the wind. For the first time, he became worried, stricken with fear over what would happen if Mars never hit the switch. Would they ever stop? Would this thing ever run out of gas? Would they wander forever until their skin peeled off and they were nothing but skeletons?

At that moment, Mars slammed the switch down, causing the plane to freeze in midair. The guardians in the back of the plane were thrust forward and slammed their faces to the floor, Pikana being the only one unscathed because she just landed on top of everyone. Hesitantly, they all got up, sporting nothing but a couple of bloody noses as a result of the crash landing.

"_I don't wanna do that again!"_ Pichu sobbed, _"That was too scary! And now I need more wipes!"_

Up in the cockpit, Mars was laughing his head off. "WOOO! That was awesome! We _have_ to do that again!"

Nask struggled to her feet, panting. "N-Never… again…"

Cameron pulled a still struggling Pikana off his scarf as he glared at Mars. "Whose bright idea was it to put a freaking _Ludicrous speed_ button on this thing!"

"_That would be me!"_ Eric answered cheerfully over the radio, _"I'd have to say it's one of my pride and joys! Of course, that potato peeler was too, but __**someone**__ had to put a virus in it!"_

"_Not my fault, Eric!"_ Aly shouted happily as her Arwing came into view of Mars'. _"Well, this is your captain speaking! Up ahead is beautiful Mount Smash! To your left is a random forest! To your right is… oh wait, that's just Eric. Don't look at his ugly mug if you wanna live!"_

Mars chuckled as he veered his Arwing to the left and zipped past the other two towards Mount Smash. Pichu could feel the excitement and anticipation mounting in him as the great mountain approached. The mists themselves seemed to part at the plane's touch, the summit just materializing out of the din. Pichu saw the familiar landscape of numerous trees and even more caves pass by him as the plane floated towards the summit.

Almost…

"_I'm home! I'm home, Chester! I'm home!"_

_BZZT!_

"WOAH!" Mars grabbed the wheel and jammed it to the left just as a huge bolt of lightning slammed into the side of the ship. The bolt flickered for a moment, seeming to glare menacingly at the guardians inside before disappearing. Mars was just about to try again when this time, _three_ lightning bolts slammed into his ship, shorting out half of the controls on his dashboard. Mars grabbed onto his dashboard and started whacking it with a fist to no avail. The controls just wouldn't respond!

Suddenly, all was black. Each of the guardians in the Sky Claw and possibly the other Arwings gave a great shout of surprise as their few sources of light were cut off just like that. The air itself seemed to thin as the light was cut off, but in the middle of the Sky Claw, Cam raised Sigmund in the air and generated enough of a spark to light up the place. Every face in the plane was etched with fear and disbelief, even Mars', though he tried not to show it.

That was when the shadows around them began to move. They moved slowly at first, their limbs scraping against the strong glass windows of the Sky Claw. Once or twice, a single tiny ball of light would reveal itself in the swirling mass of blackness, but it would quickly disappear, just as each guardian pointed their respective weapon at it.

Chester could sense these beings. They were everywhere, crawling about the Arwing like spiders ready to pounce on their prey. Here and there a part stuck out: an arm, a leg, a head… but they were all the same. They were truly grotesque shapes, humanoid in many ways, but not human at the same time. They seemed to be living skeletons of some sort, colored in four different colors. From the scraping sounds they made to the huge wave of indistinct babbling emitting from them, anyone would know that no sane person would dare come out and fight…

Then again, since when had he been a sane person?

"ATTACK!" Chester slammed the sky roof opened with a single punch before leaping out in one fluid motion to face his foes. Before the Alloys and Wire Frames could so much as look at him, his own electrical power was blasting through them, hitting them right at their very core. One by one, they exploded from the force and the power of the lightning, but more just dropped in out of nowhere.

"_Behind you! In front of you! To your left! Your right! AHHHH!"_ Pichu screamed as Chester reeled from the force of the blast.

"Chester!" Nask shouted as she hoisted herself upon the Arwing as well. Cameron and Ridere followed her, Pikana and Psyche appearing moments later. Nask slammed her Naginata into the nearest android, creating a shower of ice that rained like hail upon their foes.

Chester kicked and punched the Androids as they came at him, his skin completely immune to their pathetic blows. Thankful that he was undead, Chester even ripped off his bone arm and swung it around like a club. The bone connected once with the Androids before they were sent flying off the Arwing. Meanwhile, Pikana and Psyche were back to back, combining electricity with Pit's powerful arrows. It was a deadly combo, made only deadlier as Bazookie flashed through the air.

_Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

Over their heads, a rain of arrows appeared, falling down from the heavens and hitting their foes right in their glowing white orbs. Another second passed before the arrows were joined by a rain of fireballs. Chester looked up at the summit to see their saviors. There were four figures up there, two holding bows. The third had fire dancing around their hands while the fourth only stood there and watched. Chester only had seconds to dodge another rain of arrows before the Androids returned for their vengeance.

On the other planes, it was clear as day that the Androids did not just choose the Sky Claw for a target. The guardians were fighting hard, though the Androids numbered in millions by now. There were even some waiting for them on the small ledge near the summit, staring up and ready to leap on the Arwings if needed. Chester reattached his arm and snapped the nearest Android in half.

"These things are pathetic!" Cam shouted as he simply kicked the Alloys off the ship. "I mean, come on! My _grandma_ would put up a better fight that this!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAWR!"

"HOLY SHIT!" Pikana cursed as something _huge_ and dark leaped down from up above.

Ridere gasped and stuck his head back into the sky roof to shout down at Mars. "VEER LEFT IF YOU WANNA LIIIIIIIIIVE!"

Mars wasted no time in taking action. True to Ridere's word, he veered left just as an _enormous_ shape slammed itself into the ground below, creating a huge crater of trees and other plant life that were so cruelly ripped from their roots. A single roar was ripped from the creature's throat as two giant fists beat its chest, causing all three Arwings to shake.

"No way…" Mars stared at the creature like he had never seen it before. "Is that…?"

"_GIANT DONKEY KONG!"_ Falco shouted. _"HOLY MOTHER OF FU-"_

_CLANG! BANG!_

"What now!" Mars screamed as he looked up. He felt the blood rushing from his face as he saw the _huge_ dents that were made just above his head.

"METAL MARIO BROTHERS!" Ridere shouted as he stuck his head back in. "And they're just as bad as the body of the real thing!"

"_RIDERE, BEHIND YOU!"_ Snake shouted. Ridere whirled around and slammed a C4 into Metal Luigi's face before rolling to the side and detonating it. "IN DA FACE!"

Cameron ducked as Metal Mario came flying at him. "I take back everything I said about this army!" The Alloys were coming at him mercilessly.

Chester looked down to where the giant Donkey Kong was. A large number of guardians were already down there, fighting it. He looked at the ones that had remained on the ships. They seemed to be handling the Alloys and Wire Frames easily enough, but the Metal Mario Brothers gave them some trouble. Despite this, Chester leaped off the ship and headed right for the Giant DK.

"Chester!" Sam slammed his katanas into the nearest Wire Frame while Joe managed to keep Metal Mario distracted with a Falcon Punch. "Where the heck is he going!"

"Less talk more nuking!" Golfer shouted as he blasted away on his gun. "Dammit, I'm out of bullets!" He called down to Aly. "Hand me some of yours!"

Aly shook her head. "NOOOO! THE BULLETS ARE MINE! My precious…"

"_ALY!"_ Eric's voice crackled over the radio, sounding panicked. _"Give him the damned bullets!"_

"But Eric-"

"_NOW! OR I AM CONFISCATING YOUR GUNS!"_

Sam yanked his katanas out and double stabbed two Wire Frames in front of him. "We can't keep this up! We're going to get tired eventually!"

"_Use the boomerang!"_ Young shouted.

"NO, DAMMIT!'

_FWOOSH!_

An Alloy that had been sneaking up on Sam fell, fire licking its limbs. Sam stared at it for a minute before realizing that the fire had come from above. Young Link squinted at the tiny shape in the sky as Sam looked up, but couldn't exactly make it out. All he could really see were two streaks, one green and one red, making their way towards them. When familiar looking fireballs and even some lightning crackled in the air around the shape, he knew exactly who they were.

"_They're here…"_

Captain Falcon looked up and grinned as Joe dispatched a few Wire Frames with a Falcon Kick. _"THE MARIO BROTHERS!"_

And indeed they were. Every guardian stopped fighting for just smallest fraction of a second to watch as the two guardians of the Mario Brothers, holding a young African American man between them, flew towards the fight using the power of what they recognized as the legendary Red Star. As they flew over the giant Donkey Kong, they dropped the African American down where he started running at a speed worthy only of Sonic. Then, with a nod at each other, the one dressed in red dived down toward two of the ships while the one dressed in green flew over to Sam.

"Hey, hope we're not late!" he said with a cocky looking grin. "Name's Green! Guardian of Luigi!"

Sam shook his hand. "Sam, guardian of Young Link. How did you…?"

"Know who you guys were and that you needed help?" Green laughed and pointed at Joe. "Luigi recognized that punch of his right away." A Wire Frame rushed at Green at that moment, but he grabbed it and squeezed, green electricity wrapping around his fingers. A tenth of a second later, the Alloy exploded in a flurry of wire and metal.

"So many guardians…" Sam murmured as Green leaped to the next ship and started battling. "But… why…? Aren't we supposed to get to the summit…?" He looked up and another rain of arrows and PK Fire dispatched a wide circle of Wire Frames and Alloys around him. "Young…"

Young Link shook his head, almost ready to cry. _"I… I just don't know, Sam… I mean, Master Hand… he said we have to get you guys up here… that once we're all here, we'll receive one final test…"_

"_Indeed, Young Link!"_ a voice echoed all around. Suddenly, the Alloys, Wire Frames, Metal Mario Brothers, lightning, and even the Giant DK stood still. The guardians all nearly dropped their weapons in surprise as they looked around, realizing that there was a whole rainbow of color floating around them. Nask felt her shard grow hot in her pocket, vibrating with warmth and power. Wrath's sword did the same thing, as did Beeh's necklace. Psyche looked around her and sent her questions to Pit, who ignored every single one of them. Up above, the figures on the summit gave some shouts of surprise and one of them, Pit could tell he was blonde, reached into his pocket and pulled out a shard.

… A shard that was covered with rainbow light…

"_Guardians!"_ the voice announced. _"Know that I am Master Hand, the embodiment of creation and the organizer of the Smash Brothers tournament! Long have my brother and I waited for your return!"_

"_And yu didn't bringz me cookiez!"_ another voice said indignantly.

"_As many of your Smashers should have told you, you are to come to Mount Smash to receive further instructions on what to do in this war against Tabuu,"_ Master Hand explained, his voice booming for miles around. _"Many of you have already arrived, but many of you have also not arrived yet… but that does not stop the setting of the final test…"_

"_That's Master Hand alright…"_ Pit murmured. _"Completely loony at times and really, really archaic…"_

"_Your final test is this, guardians,"_ Master Hand continued, _"The base atop Mount Smash shall become your home until all thirty five guardians are assembled. When that time comes, the end of this war will be in sight. However, to get atop Mount Smash, like so many Smashers before you, you all must prove that you are worthy for such and honor… you all must prove that you are both courageous and powerful. You must prove that you are worthy of being allowed to enter the summit of the most important mountain in all of Smashville…"_

Marth looked up and for the first time, he saw the dome of green energy that surrounded the summit. _"… We'll have to get through that…"_

"_This final test is not simple, guardians,"_ Master Hand said gravelly, _"Nor will it guarantee that you will be worthy of passage to Mount Smash…"_

"_Always a catch to everything,"_ Pit muttered.

"_The task may seem simple enough… penetrate the barrier to Mount Smash… you are to do this while being attacked, as you can see, by my synthetic giant Donkey Kong, my reanimated Metal Mario Brothers, and my army of Wire Frames and Androids. You are to do all of this and more… if you can find a way to penetrate the barrier… then my brother and I shall both return… Smashers… you have been waiting for us for decades… it is time we return to you…"_

Pit nodded. _"Well… it's… it's about time…"_ He couldn't help but smile.

"_I speak to you now, guardians of Smashville…"_ Master Hand's voice grew in power and volume as he spoke. _"Complete your task and you shall gain the power to carry the light of the new day to Smashville… fail and another hundred years of darkness shall fall… Guardians… you are our last hope… our protectors of all things light… do your duty… and vanquish the evil of Smashville once and for all…"_

The deity's voice wavered and faded. The power that each guardian had felt before also lessened slightly. The air was suddenly ice cold again.

All pandemonium broke loose. The enemies they had faced for so long were alive again and beating them with no mercy. The Metal Mario Brothers faced off against the guardians of the Mario Brothers, all of their blows almost identical in speed and strength. The giant Donkey Kong roared its anger and slammed his fists into the ground.

In the middle of all of this, Chester was watching as the giant ape threw numerous guardians in the air and snapped even more trees. They were losing and he knew it. Alone out of all the guardian here, he was the only one that had not yet used the powers gifted to him by his Smasher. He was afraid of using them, scared that by using them, he would hurt others. Pichu's powers were legendary, but unstable beyond anything. He was afraid that he'd hurt _himself_ as well, not knowing if Pichu's powers would affect him the way it usually affected the little mouse Pokemon. But now…

All that mattered was keeping the others safe…

"VOLT TACKLE!"

Pichu felt the electrical core within him sputter and quake as it contracted within itself, building up an unimaginable power. It pulsed with life and grew larger and larger until it was ready to simply burst out of his chest. He did his best to restrain it, but it pained him to. The pain was absolutely unbearable, it grew with every breath he took. He had to let it all out, _knew_ he had to…

It was time….

"_AHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

Pichu blasted his energies outward, illuminating Chester's darkened mind. The electricity crackled with pure power, vaporizing all within its range. From the mind, it passed through him and out into the open, a powerful bolt of lightning shaking everything within reach. The trees themselves seemed to bend to Chester's will as the pure power was pushed out of him, slamming right into the giant ape.

In spite of himself, in spite of the great bubble of triumph rising in his chest, Chester screamed. It was a scream unheard of by anything in the world. He was ripped from his body, his heart, his soul. For the first time since he died, he could _feel_ the way his skin seemed to catch fire as the powerful energy that even Pikachu himself was unable to control.

An energy that saved them all…

* * *

"Oh, the pain!" Nao shouted as he collapsed to his knees, panting. "We've been running for _hours_ already! Please, stop!"

Teal skidded to a stop and glanced back at him. "Nao… we've been running for three minutes…"

Kai walked up calmly behind Nao. _"Idiot…"_

Nao looked offended. "Hey!"

"_Foolish boy,"_ Mewtwo said, _"With my power, you could have simply teleported to where you wished to go."_

Nao kicked at the dirt. "Everyone's against me today!"

Teal's nose twitched as he picked up a scent. "Heather…" He closed his eyes as he concentrated on her scent and only her scent. From what Lucas could tell, the thing Teal was currently tracking was steadily moving away from the group. The further it got, the weaker the scent. From the direction of it, Heather was moving deeper into the forest…

"C'mon," Teal ordered, taking off running again. Kai huffed and puffed behind him, Ganondorf's speed slowing him down greatly. Nao groaned and tried levitating, as he had been trying to do for the past three minutes.

As usual, he failed.

"_Hurry up, Nao!"_ Mewtwo growled. _"Beings as powerful as we are always first to the event of the time."_

Nao groaned. "I haven't even had breakfast yet…" He ran after Teal and Kai.

Teal skidded into the tiny clearing, still sensing for Heather. Lucas could just barely feel the force of something nearby, but it was not Heather. Unsure of whether or not to tell Teal about this force, the boy could only watch as the others caught up and Teal took off again.

It took a moment, but Lucas realized that they were headed towards the force that he ahd sensed earlier. But as they approached, the force grew more potent and separated into not one, not two, but _three_ different forces. Each of them seemed to carry the bearing of regret amongst them and this was something that Lucas had never felt before.

"_I think…"_ he blinked, remembering the three streaks of light that had passed overhead earlier. _"These three…"_

Kai halted next to Teal, who looked at the Lucario in question. Kai nodded, sensing the aura of the three lifeforces that were ahead of them. By the time Nao finally caught up to them, the two were off running again, but not in the direction they were headed before. Instead, they chose to follow the three lifeforces, knowing that there was something, wrong, very wrong going on.

"_Hurry, Nao,"_ Mewtwo instructed, _"We must defend the weak ones, if necessary."_

"… Shut up…" Nao said with a scowl. Kicking up his legs, he began running towards the sounds of what sounded like something hitting the trees not far away. He could hear shouting as well, but didn't know if it was merely his companions messing with him or his own imagination.

_Thwack!_

An arrow quivered inches from the young man's head as he rounded the corner. Definitely not hit imagination.

There were three people he didn't know, two of them simply covered with blood. The third one, a girl with the ears and tail of a dog, faced off against two figures almost invisible in the forest because of their green tunics. Mewtwo calmly looked on as Teal blasted a few icicle shards at them, only to have them soundlessly shattered by a counter rain of arrows.

Nao ran forward, despite Mewtwo's protests, and unsheathed the twin blades that hung at his sides. Before Kai or Teal could stop him, he was locking blades with the two young Smasher, their powerful swords glancing off the sides of the twin blades like they were nothing.

Young Link rushed forward and drove the point of his sword home to Nao's shoulder as Toon Link distracted him with his trademark boomerang. Teal ran in and grabbed Nao out of the way just in time as Toon Link then dove in for the kill. Kai grabbed the boy and slammed his face into the nearest tree while Young was dispatched by a giant hammer out of nowhere. The dog- like girl grinned at them.

"Thanks for the help!" she shouted as the little warrior got up and rushed at her again. A single tongue of flame set his tunic alight, however, and he was forced to run off in an attempt to douse the flames. In the meantime, Teal slammed Toon against the nearest tree one last time before allowing the little warrior to wrestle himself free.

"HYAH!" Nao ran forward again and slammed his blade into the boy's throat. It pained him to see such a young face contract in rage and pain. But it disappeared just as quickly as it came, replaced by a look of sheer malice and anger as the boy landed on his feet and leaped right off the ground in an attempt at a Jump Strike.

"Oh no you don't!" Nao ran forward and got ready to block it with his twin swords. Teal saw a shift in the shadows behind the young man, but Nao did not notice. He was too concentrated on the boy leaping high above to see the flaming arrow loaded upon a single bow aimed right for his heart. Teal dashed up and threw himself in front of Nao at the same moment the arrow was set loose.

"Mother Ocean!"

From out of nowhere, a huge wave of water rose high above the ground. The arrow slammed uselessly into it as did Toon Link once the wall reached him. Teal put all the energy he could into up keeping the wall of water, gritting his teeth to keep from showing his exhaustion. One moment of weakness meant that it could all be over for them.

"_Teal, let me help!"_ Lucas begged. _"PK Freeze!"_

"Delta Strike!" Teal gasped. From out of his palms shot two great waves of water. Though seeming weak at first, the water grew in size and power until they were huge blocks of ice, shattering upon contact with the two Links. Teal wrenched Nao aside as the huge shards of ice flew towards them as well. This time, Kai stepped forward and charged a powerful punch.

"Oh… ARGH!" Kai's purple covered fist slammed into Toon Link before he even had time to recover. The Smasher was thrown back where he slammed into his young counterpart. But just as the two Heroes were about to get back up, Kai sent them away with a Wizard's Foot. Two green specks were suspended in the sky a moment more before they were blasted away and that was that. Nao and Kai stared up at the sky, satisfied with their work.

"_Are you alright?"_ Kai inquired at the three weary looking strangers. Judging from the rags they wore, these were escaped slaves. From their mixed auras, he could tell that all of them had just recently bonded with their Smashers. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of that they were another step closer to their goal of possibly conquering Tabuu.

The girl with dog ears stepped forward, a grin on her face. "Yes, thanks… I'm Doggie, by the way. Thanks for helping us out and everything…"

The young man behind her nodded. "Name's Fyre… and this…" He gestured to the girl with swollen ankles, who was struggling to her feet. "Is Kage…"

Teal nodded. "… A pleasure to meet you all…"

"_Indeed,"_ Kai agreed. _"And… may I be so rude to inquire whether or not you are…"_ He hesitated before saying the word. _"Guardians?"_

The word definitely had an effect on the three of them. Doggie's jaw dropped while Kage nodded her agreement. Fyre stepped forward, confusion written all over his face.

"H-How…?"

Nao grinned and spun his swords, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. "There is a _lot_ you guys need to know…"

"But not much we can explain right now…" Teal murmured quietly as he looked up at the sky, "… Heather… she's still out there… I…" He bit his lip. "I… I need to find her…"

Nao's silver eyes dimmed slightly. "Teal…"

"I know I'm being selfish…" the young anthro whispered hoarsely, "I know our top priority is to help everyone get up Mount Smash, but…" He took a deep breath. "But… I have the feeling… I just get this feeling that wherever Heather is right now… she needs me… she needs my help… that scream… that wail… it was hers… I'd know it anywhere… she only screams like that if…" He gulped. "If there's something wrong, very, very, very wrong…"

Nao sighed. "Teal…"

"I'm sorry, guys, but I just can't stay here… I need to keep searching for her… for Heather…"

"Teal…" Nao stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Teal, whatever is going on with you… you're not being selfish… if anything, you're being the most selfless person in the history of ever…" He paused. "… You're doing this because you've been searching so long for someone you care about… after what you did today… after you saved my life…" He smiled. "You're the one person in this world… the one person that deserves to find what they're searching for the most…"

"_He's right,"_ Kai agreed, _"Your intentions aren't selfish… they are noble as can be… if you alone are the one person that can understand this… Heather… then it is best that you find her and help her figure out what's going on… if you don't do it… no one else can…"_

"Nao…" Teal gulped. "Kai…"

Nao gave Teal a gentle push. "Go, before we change our minds…" His smile was reckless.

Teal nodded. "I… thank you…"

He ran.

* * *

She tripped.

She got back up again.

She tripped.

She got back up again.

She tripped...

...and skidded across the ground, wounds opening up again and clothes being torn to shreds by the branches surrounding her.

She remained lying down, unmoving as the blood seeped out from her body once more from he re-opened wounds. The rain poured down making the blood rush down her skin further. The only thing that was warm and wet on Heather's skin were the tears running down her face. A look of torment and terror was upon the woman's face, as she stared blankly at her left arm, outstretched, panting from her mouth.

"_How can you look after everyone else...when you can't even look after yourself?"_

Heather scrunched up her eyes, teeth gritting as the quote echoed inside of her head over and over again. Once more, she let out a scream of anger and rage, her face being covered in dirt and blood, pounding the ground with her metal fist. Heather's worst memories screamed inside of her head – from when she was near death at 19 years old to her constant discrimination because of her rage prior to her execution...

"_Heather! SLOW DOWN!_" she heard Wolf cry out.

Realising once more her mind was killing her Smasher, Heather let out another cry of despair.

"_I SAID SLOW DOWN WILL YOU?" _she heard him cry again.

The end result this time was her head aching from the wracking sobs from her mouth. Eventually, her sobs turned into whimpers and sniffs as she let the rain pour down on her as she lay on the forest floor. For too long, she had kept herself together in front of everyone, hiding how she had been slowly falling apart. She even had enough power to hide it from her own smasher.

But now she was on her last legs...

No one loved her. All that love for her had passed her by when she lost her family...

"_You've been living a lie, Heather Elektra Wolfon."_ she heard Wolf speak upon hearing her thoughts.

She sure missed seeing that one in the reflection, didn't she? That realisation had passed her by while she wasn't paying attention to her own feelings. She had rushed and raced so fast that she had forgot her purpose of living.

She had got absolutely nowhere...

A gleam in the dim light caught Heather's eye. Lost in her ocean of guilt and forgetting to breathe, Heather reached out and touched the glimmering art piece sitting only inches away from her hand. She wrapped her hand around it's handle and withdrew a rusty, ragged dagger. It was a simple knife, forged from a block of steel with it's edges caked in rust. Scraping the blade with her fingernails, Heather cleared the rust and as she saw it clearly, recalled seeing a few Smashers and Primids carrying such a weapon on them. Upon the blade she saw two engraved words...

_Triumphus tandem_.  
"I triumph at last..."

The Subspace Army motto.

Heather examined the blood stains on the tip of it's blade. Red blood...what had clouded her vision just half an hour ago...how tormenting...how frightening...terror flew into Heather's heart on the thought of her own corruption. It was more terrifying than Black Heather...all she could see was red and she didn't even want to know what Wolf went through during that entire time.

Well...it was not to happen ever again...EVER...

Too afraid to disappear forever because of the rage, Heather raised the dagger to her throat. Wolf immediately lunged at the white portal to the outside world where he could see the dagger slowly moved it closer to her throat, her arm trembling.

_ "__NO! I CAN SAVE YOU! HEATHER! PLEASE, TAKE MY HAND! I CAN LEAD YOU OUT OF THIS!"_ Wolf cried in desperation, his paw at the least going through the portal. But Heather's will held strong as she gritted her teeth, her hand still trembling. Finally, she held the blade to her throat.

Wolf saw his life flash before his eyes. Everything from his previous missions against Star Fox to the times when he was a smasher. It was all about to disappear forever...

_"I CAN SHOW YOU HOW MUCH PEOPLE LOVE YOU AS A PERSON BEFORE YOUR LIFE FLIES BY! HEATHER, PLEASE! NO! DON'T DO IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"_

"HEATHER!"

Quick as a flash, someone… or some_thing_ leaped out of the bushes nearby, hurtling right towards Wolf's guardian. Heather froze for a moment, long enough for the person to knock the knife right out of her hand. The one that stood in front of her, an anthropomorphic wolf of some kind, was staring at her like he couldn't believe she was real. Everything from his light blue clothes to his black fur was a bit tangled and covered with leaves.

"Heather Elektra Wolfon! How could you even TRY to kill yourself?" Teal screamed in Heather's face, a look of disbelief on his face.

"..." Heather did not reply.

"Well? How could you?" Teal snapped.

"...blood red vision...fire...rage...near corrupted me...so...I'm so...I'm so scared...can't...can't let that...destroy me...can't let...it destroy...people...can't..." Heather trailed off into sobs again.

Teal's look softened upon hearing the fear in her voice.

"Your rage nearly corrupted you again?" Teal asked.

Heather nodded as she got on her hands and knees and pounded the ground in anger.

At this moment, Wolf came outside of Heather's mind into transparent form.

"You must be her smasher..." Teal said.

_"You too huh? Who's yours?"_ Wolf asked.

"_It's me, Wolf." _Lucas appeared out of Teal in transparent form.

_"Ah..."_ Wolf nodded, then moved around to face Heather in the eye. Teal put a hand on Heather's shoulder.

"Listen...you can't keep blaming yourself all the time...yeah okay, so your problem is a bit harder to work with, but how long have you been dealing with this?" Teal asked.

"...15 years..." she murmured. "and it's still not fixed..."

_"You idiot..."_ Wolf face palmed, _"Do you not see? 15 years, Heather. You've dealt with this for over half your bloody life, since you were a child! I don't think I'd know any one else who could cope with something like this, ever! That person would've probably killed themselves at age 15 or turn evil for Christ's sake!"_

"..." Heather did not reply.

"If Master Regenade taught us anything, Heather...it's to never give up, never leave one behind, but most of all, stick together...you remember that...don't you?" Teal reminded her.

"...yes..." Heather's eyes glowered a little.

_"You know...I think your Master Regenade knew this would happen...that you'd become guardians...that this was your destiny. That you were suited for me and Wolf. In a way, he may have known...and that may have been why he took you as your apprentices."_ Lucas said.

"You think so?" Teal looked at Lucas surprised, Lucas nodding with a smile.

_"He could be right, you know..." _Wolf ran a claw through Heather's hair, "_Out of all people in the world I could've come to, I came to you. It was you. It was you who __was chosen to be a guardian and it was you who was good enough to be my guardian. I had my doubts, don't think I didn't. You were a woman and you're body was built for power and defense, not for speed and power like mine used to be...and then...there was..." _Wolf could only remember how he first met Black Heather before the real Heather, the vicious blood stained green that wished to bite his ears off.

"Don't..." Heather whimpered.

_"__But then I realised just why Master Hand chose you for me...inside your mind, I've witnessed your head and your heart constantly collide with each other chaotically. Your memories were sending me spinning towards the ground and I just couldn't grab hold of them to try to help you. But I knew that I had to try...and I know that I have to now. I felt like I was chasing a clock that I couldn't stop when you were being corrupted...but that's not going to happen any more. I'm not going to let that happen to you any more, Heather...because I realise...you're just misunderstood..."_ Wolf looked to the ground.

"...Wolf..."

Lucas had never seen Wolf turn so soft in his life. Now he fully realised just how greatly a guardian could impact on a smasher. But by far, this was the biggest impact he'd ever seen a Guardian make on a smasher. Wolf was one of the most ironical, satirical and cocky tough guys he had ever known...and it hadn't taken him 100 years to change.

No...it had taken this one woman to do it...

"You were the most worthy person out of all to hold the soul of your smasher, Heather...you could've easily run away, but you never did. You never asked for any of this...and yet you took it just like every other responsibility you've taken and never backed down..." Teal placed his hands on Heather's shoulders, "All of Master Regenade's teachings, Heather...we can't forget them now..."

"_Well said, Guardian of Lucas,"_ a voice echoed in the din. Heather's staff began to emit not a red light, but a whole rainbow of colour. The two guardians could only stare at the staff as it pulsed with life and energy, their Smashers' jaws dropping open in surprise as the familiar voice reached their ears.

The voice was ancient, powerful, but loving. It was everything that Tabuu was not. While Tabuu's was high and cruel, this voice was deep and kind. And when it spoke again, a song could just barely be heard in the background, a song thought to be lost with the centuries

_Spes omnibus, mihi quoque.  
Terror omnibus, mihi quoque.  
Ille  
iuxta me._

"_Arise Heather Wolfon, Scion of Rage!"_

"_And breengz me cookiez!"_

"What the fuck?" her voice was cut off by the wind. She watched as her staff began to change. Now, she had a gold dragon atop the staff holding her red orbed Smash Ball, which flashed all of the colours of the rainbow and every one in between.

Slowly, a bright light began to engulf her and her staff, almost blinding the people surrounding her. Smasher bodies and guardians alike whirled around to stare at her, some of them in fear while others in fascination. Wolf himself felt a great surge of energy blast its way through his guardian's veins and after what seemed like hours, the light faded away.

Teal, who had shielded his eyes, took his hand away as Heather's new form was revealed.

"Heather…" he gasped.

No longer did she look like a skeleton ready to crumble upon being touched, nor did she have open wounds or ripped clothes. Now, she adorned a black shoulder pads with red lining and a black sash with red lining and Hylian writing on it was worn over her tunic. A new cape hung was clasped around her front by the SSB symbol and on the back, she had red Hylian patterns similar to those on Ganondorf's cape, Lucas noted. Her gauntlets had taken a new design, the one on her right hand being shorter than the left and with 'RAGE' engraved in silver on her backhands and with some red on the bottom. She also had new boots, which were now black boots covering her jeans. To top it all off, she now had a black Hylian sign emblazoned on her right cheek as she saw in the pond before her.

"That means rage in Hylian..." Teal murmured in wonder, "and Scion...Scion...means god-like in Hylian..."

_"__You're kidding..."_ Wolf couldn't believe it.

That was when the images began. They flew past before the two guardians' eyes almost at the speed of light. They were just barely able to discern them as they passed, their confusion and surprise growing as each and every image passed. There was a tiny clearing in a forest, a jungle of some sort, a great mountain, and a small town. With each place they saw people there, all of them with eyes blank and grey. But there was always _something_ that stood out among the grey: a small spark of life, a golden beacon signalling a person meant for great things. All of these Heather and Teal saw and more…

"_Go out and search for the ones in the forest clearing…" _the voice told them, _"Once they have been found, come to Mount Smash… there is much to discuss…"_

"_And breengz me cookiez!"_ the second voice cackled again.

Wolf and Lucas couldn't help but smirk upon hearing Crazy Hand's words. How good it was to hear their leaders' voices once more.

Heather stood up from where she was and twisted her wrist around.

"So, Heather Wolfon...what now?" Teal folded his arms.

"...Scion of Rage..." it couldn't have made her this strong...could've it? She took a good look at her new form, from the writing of 'rage' engraved on her gauntlets to the Hylian mark on her right cheek.

_"__It's not something you can control, Heather...but it's something you can control enough that you can stop from using on the wrong people...and that, I have seen first-hand." _Wolf smiled encouraging at her.

Her eyes glowered. Scion of Rage...she was the Scion of Rage...

"Tabuu...Clark..." the good and bad memories flashed through Heather's mind. The memory of her father paused for a moment before Wolf.

A small smile came on Teal's face.

"In the name of my father...of the Wolfon family...of my dead friends...and of the Super Smash Brothers..." a snarl escaped Heather's lips as she grit her teeth, looked to the sky.

She roared.

"I WILL KILL YOU!"

* * *

**Usual excuses for me. Band, school, homework, blah, blah, blah…**

**Anyways, seeya next chapter! **


	20. Crystal, Chi, and KOR

Return

**… I actually like that title…**

**Disclaimer: I finally own something! It is this piece of cake right here in front of me! … Oh, you're asking about the rights to Smash Brothers? Nope, don't have that…**

**

* * *

**

"Chester!" Ridere ran forward and grabbed the undead boy by the shoulders. It had been only seconds ago that he had collapsed from the loss of energy, energy released from the great lightning bolt he forced out of his body. "Chester! Speak to me! Speak to me!"

Chester began coughing, his blackened shoulders shaking as he did. "H-H-Hey… Ridere… are you d-dead… too?"

Ridere grinned. "Well… no. It's thanks to you that we're all still alive…" He patted the undead boy on the back. "You did good, buddy… you did good…"

Chester gave him a shaky grin. "T-Thanks…"

Pichu looked up. _"__Chester__! You gave that giant monkey a HUGE booboo! Tell him that you're sorry!"_

"What? No way! Are you insane, Pichu?"

"RRAWWWWWWWWWR!" the giant Donkey Kong's roar ripped through the air as he beat his chest with his fists again. His fur was severely burnt, his body horribly weakened, but he was still strong enough to stay alive. The giant monkey slammed his fist into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked every guardian off their feet.

"EAT BAZOOKIE, BITCH!" Pikana shouted as she blasted away again with Bazookie. When the bullets proved to be next to useless in getting past the powerful arms of the Kong, Pikana switched to a combination of Chainy and Thunder. Chester shakily got up and rushed forward to help her, but Ridere grabbed him and held him back.

"Stop! You've already done enough, Chester," the boy said, "Stay here and rest, alright?"

"But Ridere!" Chester protested, "Pikana needs help!"

Ridere grinned and shook her head. "She has plenty of help, don't worry… if you end up hurting yourself again, you might end up dying and then I won't have anyone to shoot at when I get bored!" Even as the boy spoke, Psyche leaped down from the Sky Claw and tore right through the Alloys, spinning the gold and blue bow she was holding beneath her. She landed lightly and managed to deflect a few more blows before being knocked right out of the vicinity by a single swipe from the giant's paws.

Right after she was hit, her eyes shifted from brown to blue and she fought back with renewed vigor and strength. Next to Psyche, two other guardians, Wrath and Sam, fought back to back. Pikana teamed up with those who owned guns to blast away. All the while, the three ships were still trying to break through the barrier, the powerful green energy holding up against even multiple blasts from Aly's rocket launchers.

_"Behind you!"_ Psyche yelled as Pit swung his bow behind him and dispatched a couple more Alloys. He had already tried firing several of his arrows up at the barrier earlier to no avail. Whatever it was made of, it was some very powerful stuff and he couldn't help but feel weak and insignificant at being unable to penetrate the shield. He stabbed the palm of the giant Donkey Kong as it came down on him before rolling away, narrowly missing being pinned underneath the great ape's fingers.

"There's got to be a way we can get past that thing!" he snarled as he shot another arrow at the green dome surrounding the summit. It bounced right off and instead managed to hit the window of Aly's Arwing. He cursed under his breath as Aly then opened fired at him, thinking that he was an enemy of some kind.

Psyche frowned as she looked up as well. _"Maybe… have you tried reading from the diary?"_ She paused. _"… You can read… right…?"_

Pit hit the ground hard after he was whacked aside by one of the Metal Mario Brothers. "Ow…" He groaned and got up. "Yeah… I can…"

_"Then maybe the answer's in the diary!"_ Psyche said excitedly. _"C'mon! We have to get out of here!"_

That set something off in him. "I'm _not_ leaving this battlefield for anything!" Pit spat. "Unlike you, I actually _can_ survive for more than five minutes in a battle!" Much to his annoyance, he heard her sniffle. "Oh, grow up, won't you?"

_"YOU GROW UP!"_ she screamed, _"You're the most insensitive, stupidest, biggest jerk ever! You think you understand me, but you _**_don't_**_! I'm _**_not_**_ one of your old Centurions, Pit! I can't fly, I can't fight as well as you used to, and I definitely don't go around criticizing the person who's been doing _**_everything_**_ to protect you! And unlike you, I actually care about how other people feel! I don't care if she's dangerous…"_ She sounded ready to cry. _"Heather is my friend… we should never have abandoned her like that… she could be anywhere right now… all alone… cold… hungry…"_

Pit was suddenly hit with a wave of memories, all of them cruel and filled with pain and suffering. Blinded by all of this, he swung to his right and nearly lopped off Wrath's head. He saw the Chains of Light as they lashed across the shoulders of multiple slaves, slaves screaming as their children and loved ones were ripped apart limb from limb right in front of them, slaves sobbing in misery as they were told that they would never see their loved ones again, the blood all over the ground and her body as Psyche escaped, leaving her best friend behind to die…

And then, the memories changed. No longer were they her memories. No, they were his. They were all from his past… his deep, dark past…

* * *

**(flashback)**

_He was in a cell, watching as rats crawled all over him. He was freezing, cold, and hungry, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was only a mere boy back then, but a young warrior nonetheless. But without a weapon, he was weak and insubstantial…_

_"Lady Palutena…" he was sobbing, "My Lady… Lady Palutena…" He shivered, fearing the horrors Medusa had planned for him. He was one of the last angels, the sole survivor of his little village in Skyworld. Medusa had captured and tortured every one of his fellow villagers, warping them beyond anything he had ever seen. They were not angels, but demons. She had already taken his cell mate…_

_… and he was next…_

_"Lady Palutena…"_

_Then, he was standing in the middle of the Courtyard of the __Sky__Palace__, watching the Centurions as they trained and trained. He was taller now, more muscular as well. It had only been a year since Medusa's defeat, but he felt like he had aged a hundred. He smiled as the newly inducted Centurions flew in patterns above him, satisfied with their work._

_But… there was something wrong. One Centurion was out of line. He tried to keep up with the others, but his wings, oddly shaped to the point of deformity, could not carry him so fast. He fell, slamming into the ground and nearly ruining the archery training of the angels down below. Pit made a move to go help, but a few Centurions had already picked the guy up. He leaned back into his relax position…_

_And that's when it started…_

_"Pathetic one! You are nothing compared to us!" one of the Centurions spat, punching the faller in the face. "You think that with your deformed wings you can join us? Bah! I'm surprised that you've ever gotten your flying license with those things!"_

_"I bet the tester took pity on you!" another laughed. "But we are not like that, young one… oh no! We don't show pity _**_or_**_ mercy to ones too pathetic to fight!" He grabbed the Centurion and slammed him to the ground, ignoring the latter's cry of pain. Blood gushed from the newbie's nose, but he didn't care. His buddy then grabbed him and punched him in the face again._

_Pit had had enough. "Hey! What's going on?" The Centurions froze at the sound of his voice and straightened at his approach. The Centurion with the deformed wings fell to the ground got up, his nose still gushing forth blood. His expression went from fear to sheer terror at the sight of the Captain of Palutena's army in front of him._

_"Cap'n!" one of the Centurions said, "We were just teaching the riffraff a lesson!" _

_"You guys…" Pit's face darkened. "It's not right to treat others like that… especially of they aren't as 'privileged' as you…"_

_"But Commander!" the other one protested, "He nearly destroyed our archery sets with his clumsy flying! Surely that deserves some sort of punishment!"_

_"He can't help it," Pit said quietly, "It isn't his fault his wings are like that…"_

_"He is weak and insubstantial! He shouldn't even be on the Centurion force!"_

_Pit had had enough. He reached down and grabbed the Centurion by the helmet, lifting the fat angel up. He ignored the protests and kicking legs to glare at him. _

_"I'll have you know that I was once 'weak and insubstantial'," he spat, "And what did I do? I didn't let it bother me! I trained, trained, and trained! All I did was go through some random quest and suddenly, I'm here! But that's not the point. My point is that you shouldn't call him weak because of something he can't help…" He threw the Centurion on the ground. "You never know… he might impress you one day…" Pit's expression hardened. "But for now… get out. You're on kitchen duty for the rest of the day…"_

**(end flashback)**

**

* * *

**

Pit fell to his knees in shock. His head was still spinning, his breath came to him in tight, ice cold pants. He had all but forgotten about that memory ever since he had been placed in his glass prison.

_"I've been such a lousy hypocrite…"_

The battle was still going. It was as if the memories never hit him. Every guardian was still fighting their hardest against everything from the giant DK to the Metal Mario Brothers. It was inevitable that sooner or later, they would fall.

They needed to get past that barrier…

Pit reached into the hidden pocket of Psyche's rags and pulled out the tiny leather-bound book. It was mostly unremarkable, save the great stain of red upon its outside cover. There was no way that anyone would even think that such an unremarkable thing like this could hold the secrets to either saving Smashville or dooming it forever.

It was exactly what Master Hand would've done.

Ridere saw this and ran over. "Psyche! What are you doing?" He swung his bazooka behind him and slammed it into the Alloys as they tried to catch him from behind. They fell to the ground in a flurry of scraps and wires. "This is a battlefield! You can't just be standing there!"  
Pit grabbed Ridere by the shoulder. "Ridere… I need to head somewhere where I won't be attacked… can you and the others cover from here?"

If Ridere noticed any change in the voice of the young guardian, he gave no inclination he did. The ebony haired boy only nodded. "Yeah, I can take it from here… just be safe, alright?"

Pit nodded. "Thanks, Ri- BEHIND YOU!"

"Huh?" Ridere turned around and was immediately locked in the powerful arms of one of the male Wire Frames. For a moment, he felt his shoulder being pulled right out of its socket as he was slammed to the ground. Pit tried to help him, but the angel was cut off by another shockwave as the giant DK slammed its fists into the ground once again. Ridere was yanked right off the ground, his feet dangling in midair. From the gurgling in his throat, Pit could tell that he was choking.

"Ridere!" he ran forward spinning Palutena's Bow in his hand. But before he could even reach the boy and his captor, a figure had already rushed at them and slammed a long weapon into the Wire Frame's glowing red center. A fountain of ice sprang forth and rained down upon him as the Wire Frame was forced to let go of the boy and fell to the ground, dead.

Ridere coughed and got up. "T-Thank- whoa!" His cheeks turned red as Nask's arms engulfed him and pulled him into a tight hug. "Uh…" It was awkward being hugged by someone he didn't know and the fact that Pit was still standing there didn't help.

"Oh, thank Ashera you made it out of there alright…" Nask whispered. She released him and let him fall to the ground. "Don't _ever_ put yourself in danger like that again, alright?"

Ridere got up and grinned, despite the unease he felt at Nask's hug. "Will do!" He cheerfully twirled his bazooka in his hand and dashed to where Metal Mario was in hand to hand combat with MS. "LEEROOOYYYYYYYYYY JENKINSSSSSSS!"

Pit took of as well, headed towards the farthest corner of the area where there was not a single Alloy or Wire Frame to be seen. A few Alloys got in his way, but they fell easily under a few swipes of his bow. He hacked and he slashed at each of their glowing white centers until they gave way and the Alloy was turned off. Arrows flew at him from up above, just barely missing him. Instead, they found their mark in the cores of the Wire Frames as they came at Pit to try and stop him.

_BAM!_

"KEHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Pikana cackled as she flew by. The Pokemon rolled around, firing off Bazookie at everything that moved. Pit was forced to pull out his mirror shield to deflect a few as he ran. He pulled out the book as soon as he reached the spot, the shadows of the trees hiding him from any wary enemies.

_"I can't read it,"_ Psyche complained, _"This isn't fair!"_

Pit resisted the urge to shout at her again. "I'll… I'll teach you to read if you can just… you know, stay quiet for a bit…" He opened the book, its yellow pages almost tearing upon contact with his fingers. He tried to handle this ancient tome gently, but he couldn't stop himself from smearing some of the ink as he turned the pages.

_I, Master Right Hand, hereby write this now as a record for one of the greatest burdens I have had to undertake in the many years I have been alive. With the defeat of the last of my Smashers, I have no choice but to turn to an ancient prophecy created long ago by the grandest of all deities in each of the Smashers' worlds._

_Peace had finally returned after the first Subspace War, but it was only natural that this peace didn't last. They thought they had defeated Tabuu once and for all, but I knew he couldn't possibly have been killed… _

That wouldn't help the guardians. This page only talked about how Master Hand eventually reached his conclusion that Tabuu was indeed still alive and well. Though Pit turned the page so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore, he couldn't help but feel a sharp pang in his heart. Master Hand _knew_ that Tabuu was still alive, even after Marth had pierced the blue man through and through with his sword. He had kept it a secret, even though he could've easily prepared them for the next time Tabuu attacked. Instead of training them like he should have…

… He sent them all on a vacation…

_Subspace, the most tainted of all substances, would not allow its Master to die. When Tabuu first touched Subspace he was tainted, corrupted by the immense power the darkness granted to him. He became a truly horrible being, a creature beyond any human understanding in all the known universes. It was the Smashers' charge to keep these humans safe and they did so in the most admirable way. However… in doing this, they were forced to touch Subspace as well. And just like Tabuu, they themselves were tainted…_

Pit nearly dropped the book at this. Tainted? Him? His fellow Smashers? Them, off all people, tainted? That was impossible. If they were tainted, surely there would've been some sort of noticeable change, right?

But change had happened, Pit realized. The change had been happening over the course of a century and perhaps even more. He remembered how confident he had been as he fought through the army of Primids in his final battle against Tabuu, how his cockiness had caused his ultimate downfall. He remembered the resentment he felt for his guardian at the moment he merged with her, even though many of her qualities were things she could not help.

But the others? What had changed about them? Pit frowned has his thoughts circulated, bringing up memories of strange happenings among his fellow Smashers that many of them couldn't figure out why it happened. He remembered how Ike suddenly became sensitive to anything involving fire, how Link's voice, once heard almost everywhere in the mansion, had faded into near nothingness in the past years, how Ness couldn't even tolerate a few shed tears anymore…

_"Well?"_ Psyche asked, her impatience clear in her voice. _"Did you find anything?"_

Pit swallowed and took a deep breath. "… I found something… but it doesn't relate to the barrier…" He tried to hide his thoughts from her, which didn't work. Psyche managed to read his thoughts, but she decided not to bother him about it.

Yet…

_It is inevitable that my Smashers would lose. I knew it from the moment I saw Mario and company walk out of the door of my mansion that I knew this was not a fight we would ever win, not here, not now. I knew that we would have to wait possibly another century or two before the true battle can be fought and before the final task can be carried out. I trust that the Smashers will do everything they can for their guardians and their guardians will do everything they can for their Smashers._

_However, I do not have a doubt that some of them will not make it through this fight alive. Tabuu is a being too powerful for their understanding. It is likely, very likely, that every single one of the Smashers and their guardians will die. I've foreseen it and I know that unless 35 people can somehow get together and get along, there will be no way that the Smashers will be able to stay alive._

So he knew… he knew what was going to happen in the very end. He knew that it was inevitable that both Smashers and guardians fall. Pit felt his world come crashing down all around him. He was drowning, struggling for air in the coldest lake in all the known universes. It didn't matter if the guardians could fight or not anymore…

They were merely walking into their own deaths…

Pit frowned at the next page. It was a drawing, nothing more. He saw four pieces, shards, of a much larger sphere. In the center of the picture was a small round piece that looked like it could be a gem of some sort or the pommel of a sword. The other four pieces were split apart from this center and if they were put together, Pit had no doubt that they would fit together perfectly like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces looked vaguely familiar somehow, like a memory from a long, long past. However, the drawing carried no inscription or indication of what this strange drawing was and thus Pit reluctantly turned the page. He felt a warm energy radiate from the book as he did this, as if the diary of his lost leader was trying to tell him something.

_There was only one way to ensure that the guardians would have even the smallest chance of helping the Smashers retrieve their bodies. Tabuu may have thought we used up our small supply of Smashballs, but he is wrong. I managed to secure one just before he attacked and took Pit's soul as well. It is the last of its kind, a final light in the future of impending darkness. There are many things I can do with such an object, but I now lack the power to use it properly. I must leave it up to the guardians to find a way to use the Smashball and use it well._

_The final Smashball was shattered by me into five different pieces, four of them scattered all around the known universes. The fifth and final one was captured by Tabuu not long after I broke the Smashball, for he hoped to synthetically create ones of his own. Though it is true that there is no doubt he will someday manage to make some, there is no way a tainted being such as he will be able to forge a true Smashball out of pure energy and light. Before I left the Smashers, I scattered the four remaining pieces all around the known worlds in hopes that the guardians will be resourceful and brave enough to prove they are worthy to have these pieces._

"The drawing…" Pit murmured as he remembered it. "The drawing of the five pieces…" Knowing that there _had_ to be more, he quickly turned to the next page, which revealed only a few lines of what looked like a poem:

_O Heroes, your time draws near_

_The return of the Hands shall dispel all fear._

_The shield of light shall shatter and quake_

_And evil will soon fall in its wake._

_But though you struggle to stay alive_

_You need the lost shards five._

_The first descends upon land laid waste_

_To reach it, guardians, you must make haste!_

_The second falls into castle so tall_

_Where the Usurper resides within the Great Hall._

_The third piece rides upon the pure one's back_

_To reach it, a sacrifice is needed from attack._

_The fourth piece remains in the home it always knew_

_The place it was forged, power shall imbue. _

_The final piece lies upon the blade made of steel_

_Retrieve it and once and for all, the door shall unseal._

Pit bit his lip at the riddle, hating himself for not studying them more. He usually left the puzzle solving to the great minds like Princess Zelda and Mewtwo, caring only for being able to defeat the enemy once the riddle was solved. Not only that, but there was no time to cop out and search for the five pieces. He doubted that they even had _one_!

Pit's hands shook as he let the book fall to the ground, unable to believe this was happening. Master Hand had failed them. He had given them this riddle for a reason and it was to find the shards. But simply _reading_ the riddle wasn't enough. There were millions of tall castles all over the known worlds and _billions_ of swords in _this_ world as well. It would take forever to search these shards out…

That was something they didn't have.

"We're going to lose…" Pit mumbled as the diary hung loosely in his hands. "There's no way we'll be able to win without those Smashball shards… and we need all _five_ to top it off…"

_"…"_ Psyche didn't know what to say.

"Erm… Hey Psyche?" a kind voice asked. "You shouldn't be sitting here, you know… it's pretty dangerous!"

Pit looked up and found himself face to face with Mah. The girl gave a slight start when she noticed Pit's blue eyes, but she quickly composed herself and smiled. For a moment, Yoshi flickered in her eyes, but Pit could tell that she stayed in control.

"How come you're not fighting?" she asked. "I mean, I know that it's tiring and all, but-"

"I'm… looking for something…" Pit interrupted quickly. He showed her the sketch of the five shards in the diary. "These are supposed to be the keys to finally smashing that barrier…"

Mah's eyes lit up. "Great! Where are they?"

"That's the thing… I don't know… and the book doesn't say…" Pit admitted. "If we don't find those things in the next five minutes or so, we're all toast…"

Mah stayed quiet for a moment. "… Perhaps… can you describe what you're looking for, Pit?"

Pit hesitated at the request. After all, was there any true way to put a Smashball into words? How could he describe the feel of the energy pulsing upon his palm, the glorious swirling of rainbow colors that danced across its surface? How could he describe the warmth and power of the sacred sphere and they way that no matter how he felt, he always felt at peace when holding the ball?

"… It's… it's…" he paused. "… Rainbow colored… and… shard- like…"

Mah slowly blinked. "… You mean… like that…?" She pointed to the little girl, Beeh, as she ran by. Beeh was throwing Pikmin at the giant Donkey Kong, sweating slightly as she yanked more and more little men out of the ground. But what truly caught Pit's eye was the thing hanging around her neck. It was a rather simple necklace, its string made out of twine. But what really caught his attention was the thing hanging on the necklace…

A single Smashball shard.

Pit was too stunned to speak. Mah saw his expression and let out a small giggle. She then pointed at Nask, whose long red hair was caked in sweat as she nimbly dodged the giant fists of the great ape. Pit watched as the girl reached into what seemed like a hidden pocket in her armor and pulled out a familiar object. The colors flashed in the sun, nearly blinding the angel. But he knew exactly what it was…

"You're looking for five, right?" Mah asked him. "Well, I've seen at least four…"

"W-Where…?" Pit managed to stutter, unable to tear his eyes away from the shard Nask was holding. Mah directed his attention to Wrath, who was carefully weaving his sword in and out of the bodies of the numerous Alloys around him. Pit saw nothing remarkable about him, but when Mah pointed most specifically t the pommel of his sword, the angel looked closer. He could just _barely_ make out the slight flash of rainbow before it disappeared into the glowing white core of a Wire Frame.

"Three…"

Mah grinned. "Yup! And the fourth…" she pointed up towards the summit of Mount Smash. "Is up there… I saw one of the people helping us take it out when Master Hand spoke to us all…" Her smile widened. "I don't know if they're trustable or not, but… they helped us… surely they have to be remotely friendly, right…?"

Pit couldn't help but smile. "Yeah… I… thanks…" He looked up, watching as more arrows rained down from above and found their mark in the glowing red cores of the Wire Frames. "… You… you didn't happen to see a fifth shard, did you…?" It took him a great effort to hide his disappointment when Mah shook her head.

"Sorry, Pit… but I'll keep an eye out, if you want…" Mah was now staring at Beeh, the girl with the necklace. Her expression was a mix between wistful and just plain confused. There was something about it that made something inside Pit twinge guiltily at the way he had been treating his own guardian for so long…

After all, she was only human…

"You look at that girl a lot, now," Pit remarked as Mah winced as the girl was nearly hit by giant DK's palm. Yoshi's guardian blinked a bit before she turned to him.

"… It's just that… she seems… familiar, somehow…" she said quietly. "Like… like she's connected to me in some way that I either don't know of or I no longer remember…"

Pit raised an eyebrow. "You… know her…? But… she said she comes from the Pokemon world, doesn't she…?"

Mah nodded. "That's the thing… I know she comes from a completely different, world, but… somehow… I just can't shake the feeling that she's a lot more to me than just a fellow guardian…" Her bottom lip trembled slightly as she spoke again. "… A long time ago… before all of this happened… I had a family… a loving family…"

"From what Psyche told me… that's pretty rare in slave times…" Pit murmured.

Mah nodded. "It is… we were miserable, but happy… then Mom died… she was executed… because she was accused of stealing Smashballs for herself… but that's not true…" Mah shook her head. "I know the real reason she was killed… they say that Tabuu made advances on her… I don't know what that means, but she refused whatever he was trying to do to her and got killed because of that…" Mah's voice was completely bitter. Her lip trembled some more as she continued her tale. "So… then my dad knew it was time for us to escape… once every three months, some slaves get together to steal one of Tabuu's ships and sail away in the dead of night… we were among the slaves that chose to sail away…"

"But… you didn't escape until later…" Pit muttered. "Someone told me that…"

"I know…" Mah whispered. "Just when we were about to get on… everything went wrong… Some Primids followed us and caught us all… by the time they got me… my dad was already on the boat… it was either I go on or… or…" Mah's voice cracked. "My sister… it was either me or my sister…"

"…" Pit remained quiet.

"I… I gave my sister to my dad… she was only a baby, so she wouldn't remember me when she grew up… I gave up my sister… and went back as a slave…" Despite all the sadness she felt, Mah smiled as her tale began to come to a close. "But despite everything, I'm happy that at least I was able to help my little sister escape… it's just that…" She gestured to Beeh who was once again using the Pikmin lasso to try to get on the giant apes head. "She reminds me so much of the sister I was forced to give up, and-"

_BAM!_

In almost no time at all, there was a huge boulder in front of them. Pit and Mah both jumped, but it was Mah who prepared an egg and ran back into battle. Pit only sat down and started to think, his thoughts quickly turning from hopeful to miserable as he realized that though they had four shards, there was still a fifth one.

The fifth one whose whereabouts were unknown.

This was hopeless, he realized. It was hopeless even fighting. Even if they were able to somehow find time to search out the fifth, it could be anywhere. What was more, Tabuu was already gathering his forces for the final battle, and he could feel it. Pit's shoulders slumped as an empty feeling settled in his stomach, refusing to budge no matter how hard he tried to push it away.

_"Pit…"_ Psyche whispered, _"Pit… it can't be hopeless… it can't…"_

The angel remained silent, staring at the book as its pages turned uselessly in the breeze. All around him, the noises of the battlefield were worlds away, another universe, another dream. Pit could only sit there and dwell, dwell on everything Master Hand had kept secret from them all this time.

The hand had _known_ they were not going to win… he had _known_ that Tabuu would come back. He _knew_ that the guardians were not going to be as strong as the Smashers and he _knew_ that it was inevitable that they would lose this battle. He was sending them all to their deaths….

And all this time, the Smashers had been his pawns…

That was what they were. Pawns on a chessboard. They would attack in droves, but one by one, they would fall. A long time ago, Pit never questioned why Master and Crazy Hand both left them without stating a reason. But now he understood. They weren't leaving for the Smashers' own good.

They were abandoning them.

* * *

"Do ya see anything, Crystal?" the boy asked as he looked up from his cooking. His chocolate brown hair swayed as he did. "I'm bored!"

The girl looked down at him, her jet black hair almost getting caught in the nearest branch. "Chi, when I see something, I'll tell you…" She was slightly annoyed from being constantly interrupted in her silent watch of Smashville.

After all, you wouldn't want to be caught off guard when those Primids attacked…

Crystal turned back to her view, brown eyes watchful and alight. Her golden gauntlets flickered slightly in the fading light as she watched, emphasizing her jeans, black shirt, and black hoodie.

Chi groaned and poked a stick into the fire, watching as the flames flickered feebly before dying out. His bright red shirt with a dragon on it was covered with ash from the numerous times he had tried and failed to keep the fire going. His red jogging pants and sneakers also bore the marks of such a trial.

"Is the food ready yet, Chi? I'm staaaaaarved!" someone moaned from the other side of the clearing. Chi frowned at the person before throwing a rock at him.

"If you're so hungry, help me cook, KOR!"

KOR shook his head and held up a hand. It was a truly grotesque thing, the nails being curved into horrifying claws. The hand was also brittle and almost rotted looking, as if it had almost died. Chi shuddered at the sight of it and turned back to his work, scowling.

"KOR, are you flashing your claws again?" Crystal asked with a sigh. She slid down from the tree and walked over. "Haven't I _told_ you those things are too freaky?"

KOR shrugged. "Not my fault. Besides, I like these things! I can kick Primid ass with them!" He flipped his own black hood over his head before settling down on a log. "Alright, it's got to be done by now, Chi…"

"Nope," Chi groaned. "Fire died again…"

"… I don't mind eating raw fish, actually…" KOR said thoughtfully.

"Ew!" Crystal stuck out her tongue. "KOR, that's disgusting!"

_"Me no think so! Me think KOR tough guy!"_

"AHHHHH!" Crystal jumped and looked around her, wondering who said that. The two boys stared at her strangely before poking at the fire again and trying to relight it. Crystal was just about to settle down when the voice spoke again.

_"Me Donkey Kong! Me strong! Me bash Tabuu lots!"_

Crystal backed up, still scanning the area. She hated being caught off guard by something and this was one of those times. While Donkey Kong proceeded to wreaking the room of her mind in search of bananas, she could only continue backing up and continue looking around.

Meanwhile, her behavior had not gone unnoticed by KOR. "Hey Crystal, you okay?" KOR asked, looking up concernedly. "I mean, sure raw fish is kinda gross, but you don't have to get all weird on us…"

_"I agree, that chick's nuts!"_

_"Popo! Don't be so rude!"_

Now it was KOR's turn to jump. When he jumped, he accidentally set off the M60 machine gun on his back and caused it to detonate, spraying bullets everywhere. But much to everyone's surprise, it was not bullets that rained out of the weapon, but _ice_. Shards of ice that pierced everything around them like true bullets, but left a single ring of ice cold whiteness where they hit.

_"Oh my!"_ Nana was worried for her and Popo's guardian as well as the other two. _"Please, kindly stop! We don't wanna hurt anyone!"_

_"No, keep going!"_ Popo cackled as he watched Chi and Crystal running about. _"This is awesome!"_

After some time, KOR managed to calm down. Nana breathed a sigh of relief while Popo groaned at the thought of no more ice bullet party. Meanwhile, Crystal was listening to Donkey Kong with a disbelieving look on her face. Chi, on the other hand, was chatting animatedly to Diddy. Unlike the others, he had remained calm when Diddy spoke up in his head. He found that he liked the little monkey and that unlike Donkey, Diddy could actually hold a conversation that didn't have anything to do with bananas.

_"Oh yeah, my buddy Donkey and I get along great!" _Diddy said cheerfully. _"Of course, there's always the occasion where we don't get along well, but we usually get along pretty fine. Hey, have you ever climbed a tree and then swung on a vine? Man, those are fun! You should really try it someday! You know, if we can just get up __Mount__Smash__ quickly enough…"_

Nana looked up at the sky after she (and Popo) explained what they knew to KOR. Being the more intelligent of the two, Nana could tell that time was running short on them and that if they wanted to make it to Mount Smash, they had to do so quickly.

_"You should really get going, KOR,"_ she said, _"After all, we wouldn't want to miss anything if there are people already there…"_

_"Aw… but we haven't even beaten up any Primids yet…"_ Popo whined.

KOR stood up. "Uh… hey, are you guys going to head to Mount Smash too?" He pointed at his temple. "Nana says we should get up there and fast…."

_"But can we stop for chili dogs along the way?"_ Popo asked hopefully. He got slapped by Nana.

_"There aren't any chili dog stands for… for… for _**_light years_**_ around!"_ Nana said indigantly.

_"Donkey Kong need bananas! __Crystal__ get Donkey Kong up __Mount__Smash__!"_ the giant ape hooted.

Crystal hesitated, but nodded. "It looks like I'm going to have to head to Mount Smash too…" She looked up at the trees above her, her stomach squirming slightly at the thoughts currently occupying her mind…

_I don't belong here…_

_I shouldn't be here…_

_I belong in _**_my_**_ own world…_

_I belong where _**_my_**_ family is…_

_This is a dream…_

_A nightmare…_

_Sooner or later, I'll have to wake up…_

It had happened so fast. One moment, she had been staring at the TV screen. The next, she had been pulled through, yanked right out of her world dropped right into this one. She was never one to believe in other worlds, or other creatures, but there was just something strange about this one that she couldn't place.

And she didn't like it at all.

_"Me sense __Crystal__ sad…"_ Donkey Kong said as Chi and KOR cheerfully prattled on about what they were going to do about Primids, if they dared show up. _"What going on in head?"_

Crystal looked down at her gauntlets, a single teardrop sliding down her cheek. "I… I don't know…"

_"__Crystal__ need cheering. Donkey Kong make better! Donkey Kong listen to __Crystal__!"_ the ape said enthusiastically. He waited for his guardian to speak.

Crystal shook her head. "You wouldn't understand… you're just a figment of my imagination… you're not real… you can't be real…"

Now the primate was confused. _"What __Crystal__ saying? Donkey Kong real! Donkey Kong know he real! Donkey Kong prove he real after __Crystal__ help Donkey Kong get body back!"_

Crystal was still shaking her head. "You're not real… where I come from, you're not real… and I'm not here… I'm still sitting on the couch watching TV…" Her voice cracked as she spoke. "You're not real… _none_ of this is real… I'm at home… I'm at home…"

Donkey Kong scratched his head. _"Me say __Crystal__ go crazy! Donkey Kong real!"_

"YOU'RE NOOOOOT!" Crystal screamed. Chi and KOR jumped a foot in the air at her sudden scream, their eyes wide with concern. Crystal composed herself immediately when she noticed their staring, forcing a smile on her face.

KOR shifted awkwardly. "Uh… how about we get the Hell outta here…?"

Chi stood up and grinned. "So what are we waiting for?"

"Our dinner…" Crystal muttered, but Chi didn't hear her.

"Let's go!"

Crystal shook her head. "Wait…" She froze for a moment and concentrated. She seemed to be listening to something, but neither of the other two knew what. Crystal frowned as she looked out towards the path winding through the forest. Now it was easy for the other two to tell what she was so concerned about. There were other people here and they sounded like they were arguing. Whether they were friends or foes, Chi and KOR didn't know. But one thing was for sure…

They had to get out of here.

"What should we do?" Chi whispered. Crystal shook her head to show that she had no idea what to do.

KOR took his M60 off his back. "What else can we do? We shoot our way out…"

He waited for the two to agree with him. While Chi only looked down and kicked the dirt, Crystal continued to stare at KOR. KOR stared back at her, imploring her to think of a better idea. Eventually, he saw the light dawn in her eyes. Slowly but surely, she nodded.

It was time…

* * *

Kai leaped upon the nearest branch, closing his eyes and trying to sense any sort of aura nearby. After Teal had left, it was decided that even though they felt bad about leaving Teal behind to search for Heather alone, they had to get to Mount Smash. In the distance, they could see fire, lightning, and even what looked like the arms of a giant furred creature at the very base of the mounting. Once they could've sworn they saw an explosion, but it faded quickly and the noise resumed again.

"Kai, see anything?" Nao asked as he leaned against the tree Kai was on top of. Much to his disappointment, the Lucario shook his head.

_"I can't sense any aura around here… except in the direction of __Mount__Smash__…"_ he muttered sadly, _"We don't have much choice but to simply head over there and-"_

_"Foolish boy,"_ Ganondorf snarled, _"Have you not looked in the proper direction? Look to your right and tell me what you see!"_

Kai did as he was told, but saw nothing. _"Ganondorf, I only see the trees and bushes. I see no form of aura anywhere."_

_"Your aura skills are broken, then,"_ the Gerudo snarled, _"Look there! Don't you see the dual colored aura?"_

Kai frowned. _"… No, I can't…"_

"I can see it, Kai," Nao said as he looked in the direction Ganondorf was telling Kai took look. "Yeah, I can see about two right now…"

_"Keep out of my thoughts, Nao!"_ Kai snarled. Ganondorf was laughing at how hilarious it was that his guardian had been so easily penetrated by Mewtwo's powers.

Fyre walked up besides Nao. "What are you two arguing about _this_ time?"

_"Probably whether or not we should head to __Mount__Smash__ or go after that Teal guy,"_ Bowser muttered irritably. Ever since he had been released, all he could think about was his son. What happened to Bowser Jr.? Did he escape? Did Tabuu get to him? Was he alright?

All of these questions were dancing in the Koopa's head. He felt empty, hollow as a shell, without his son's constant presence by him. Before Tabuu attacked and the Smashers were forced to go to battle, Bowser had actually planned a long vacation in his castle so he could spend more time with his kids. Being part of the third group of Smashers to fall, it tore his soul in two knowing that the day he fell was the day he was to see his son again.

_"Junior…"_ Bowser blew his nose. _"Forgive me… I have failed you as a father…"_

Fyre heard this. "… Bowser…" He scratched the back of his head. "I don't know you well, but… you're not a failure of a father… whatever happened to your son couldn't have been your fault…"

_"That is none of your business!"_ Bowser growled harshly. It wasn't like him to show he was _this_ weak. Sure, he had his breakdowns every now and then, but there was no way he was going to show _any_ weakness to something as small and pathetic as a _human_.

His resentment of all humans came from Mario, the man who had defeated him so many times. All he wanted was a mother for his kids, a mother that would help guide them to lead better lives than him. It was only natural that Princess Peach, the purest source of light in all the Mushroom Kingdom, would be the perfect mother. But to be foiled again and again by the plumber in red…

… It was often all too much for him…

Fyre frowned at the harsh quality of the Koopa's voice. "Bowser… it's alright to lose once in a while… you're not weak… I mean, sometimes it's only natural that you lose to Mario one way or another, but-"

_"You don't understand!"_ Bowser snapped. _"No one does! Doesn't anyone understand that I do what I do so I can have a mother for my kids! So that my kids don't see me as the failure that I am? What kind of father am I if I don't even stay home long enough to take care of them? Instead, I'm off chasing after princesses and getting my ass kicked by a fat plumber and his cowardly little brother…"_

"You're not a failure, Bowser," Fyre said. "If anything, it's _because_ that you're doing all of that for your kids that makes you a great one…" Fyre looked up at the sky. "… I met my dad only once in my life… I only spent a single day with him, but…" A sigh escaped his lips. "But… it was just from that day that I knew if he actually stuck around long enough to raise me…" His voice hardened. "I would've killed him by now…"

Bowser was completely aghast. What was with this kid? Bowser had thought Fyre to be nothing more than a stupid goody two shoes when they first met. But at his words, the Koopa was now looking at his guardian through new eyes…

"From the moment I met him I knew there was going to be trouble…" Fyre continued. "He had abandoned me at birth… that was the first hint I got that that guy was no good… but despite everything, I didn't listen to whatever anyone said… I found him at last… and spent an entire day with him…" His tone became bitterer and bitterer with every word he spoke. "We couldn't speak much because we aren't allowed to talk while making those synthetic Smashballs… unless you really want some good old fashioned whippings across the back… we were sitting next to some other slave. He ran out of material to build his Smashball, so he had to get up and get more. He was already more than halfway done with his while Dad's was still at the starting stages… law dictates that every slave must make at least ten synthetic Smashballs before the day's end or they'll get whipped… anyways, while the guy was gone, Dad made sure he didn't see… and when he was _absolutely_ sure that the guy's back was turned…" Fyre slammed his foot down on the nearest stick, cracking it in two with a deafening _snap!_ "He stole the Smashball!"

Fyre's voice rang around the clearing, causing every guardian in it to turn. The guy with pink hair, Nao, was staring at him intently, as if trying to read his mind. Fyre gave him a small scowl, to which Nao immediately turned away. But there was a small smirk playing at his lips, as if he knew what was going on.

"He stole the Smashball…" Fyre lowered his voice to a whisper. "And let the guy get whipped… when I tried standing up for the guy, I got whipped as well… _worse_ than he did… the whole time, my dad was watching… just watching… the _entire_ time I was being whipped beyond anything in my life, he was just _watching_. And when I showed up for what little dinner we slaves get, do you know what he was doing?" Fyre didn't even wait for Bowser's answer. "He was _eating_ it… my own dad… starving me… it was like I was nothing to him…" His voice turned hollow. "Because I _am_ nothing to him…"

_"…"_ Bowser remained silent. There was nothing he could say. For a boy to go through something like that was harsh, very harsh indeed. Fyre was so distracted that he nearly missed it when Kai finally spoke.

_"We should head east and then north,"_ Kai said, jumping down from the branch. _"It shall take us both to __Mount__Smash__ and towards the direction you claim the new guardians are in."_

_"No!"_ Ganondorf argued. _"We should head north, then east! The guardians over there should simply have to keep up with us!"_

_"If you claim there _**_are_**_ guardians over there, then we should help them and keep them from misusing their powers,"_ Kai snapped back.

"I say we all just go attack Tabuu now and then let the other guys catch up to us!" Nao said cheerfully.

Kage shook her head. "No, because then we all know we'll just be beaten…" She picked up a branch on the ground.

Doggie walked over as well. "And don't suggest we split up because then that'll just be suicide!"

"Well, any other bright ideas?" Fyre demanded. He was growing impatient and longed to be in the heat of the battle. Bowser, on the other hand, only wanted to go and search out his son.

_"We head for __Mount__Smash__!"_ Ganondorf announced.

_"We go in the direction where you claim the guardians are!"_ Kai said at the same time. Unfortunately for Ganondorf, since no one but Kai, Nao, and Mewtwo could hear him, they went in Kai's direction, led by Nao. Kai and Nao both switched off their sensory vision for the moment, not wanting to waste too much energy in searching out guardians.

_"Indeed… I can sense the presence of some guardians here…"_ Mewtwo muttered as he closed his eyes. _"But I cannot exactly pinpoint where… I will need a quiet place to go focus my power…"_

"Focus shmocus!" Nao huffed. "I just want something to eat!"

_"Foolish boy…"_ Ganondorf muttered, _"Thinking of food in the middle of a war…"_

"Heard that!" Nao said offended. "And don't tell me that you don't get hungry either, Ganon_dork_!"

_"That is very immature of you, Nao…"_ Mewtwo said flatly.

_"I'm surrounded by idiots…"_ Bowser groaned. Fyre rolled his eyes.

They were about to walk on when suddenly, Doggie froze. She was passing by a small shadow of trees when she could've sworn she saw and heard something. But when she looked back, there was nothing there except the overhanging canopy of leaves. Doggie knew that there had to be something there, though, because there was an unusual scent in the air. It smelt of gunpowder and fire and… bananas?

_"What's wrong, my guardian?"_ Dedede asked. _"Did ya lose somethin'? 'Cause I know how hard it is to find sometin' after ya lose it! Like once, I lost mah hammer and I couldn't find it anywhere! I checked and checked and checked, but…"_

"Sh!" Doggie said sharply. The other guardians paused and looked at her as she got to the ground and sniffed it. That smell was there again, but it was stronger now. Not only that, but she could just barely pick up the sounds of something, or some_one_ breathing…

She could also hear their footsteps. They were getting closer, but they were being slow and deliberate. There was no time to run or hide. It was only a matter of time…

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

_"HOLY MOTHER OF SHIT!" _Dedede yelled as Doggie rolled to the side. Something wearing a black hooded shirt, grey pants, and rotting tennis shoes flew out from the dark shadows of the trees and started shooting at them, the bullets rocketing in every direction. The guardians in the clearing all screamed and gathered around Nao as he held up his arms and created a psychic force field around him.

Meanwhile, Kai and Doggie were both left out of the shield. Kai remained hidden in the leaves while Doggie, unable to get through the portal without temporarily endangering her fellow guardians with the huge rain of bullets, could only dodge as the person went wild.

_"We're gonna die, we're gonna die, we're gonna die…"_ Dedede moaned.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the hooded one cackled as he landed on his feet, removed the M60 machine gun that was on his back, and started shooting away with both that and the minigun he had shot them with only moments before. Doggie screamed and ran behind the tree, the bullets just barely missing her.

Doggie grabbed onto something and from out of nowhere, a Waddle Dee flew out to meet the person in the black hoodie. Caught by surprise, he dropped his M60 and proceeded to try to pry the writhing thing off of his face. Doggie smirked, satisfied with her handiwork.

But such a feeling would not last. Chains flew from the same shadows of the trees the hooded one had been hiding in and out stepped a girl with long black hair, the chains attached to her gauntlets. Doggie's wrists were caught by these chains, and though she struggled to break free, the chains held firm.

Kai saw this and immediately broke through Nao's invisible shield to try to help her. Taking care not to hit anyone, he concentrated his aura powers so that a scythe appeared in his hands. With a shout that rivaled that of the hooded one when he leaped out from the bushes, Kai swung his scythe around and sent it crashing down upon the chains. Aura flared up like a huge bonfire upon contact with the chains and they shattered, causing metal to fly everywhere.

But their attackers refused to give up. While another set of chains burst out of the girl's gauntlets, the hooded one continued to blast away, cackling as his ice bullets slammed into every tree in the area. Nao eventually let his shield down so that the others could get through, but immediately put it back up again as ice cold bullets rained his way.

Fyre rushed towards the girl with chains, hoping that his fiery breath would subdue her somehow, long enough for them to dispatch the hooded one. But just as a tongue of flame was about to release itself from his mouth, he stepped on something and slipped to the ground. The young man only caught a glimpse of the banana peel before he was grabbed from behind and slammed to the ground. He was just about to get up again before he was peppered by something as well. He watched as the things hitting him hit the ground.

… Peanuts?

_"This is pathetic!"_ Bowser moaned. _"It's bad enough that I get beaten up by a couple of plumbers, but peanuts! Seriously?"_

"Ugh…" Fyre rolled out of the way of the peanuts and grabbed the shooter by the ankle, a boy wearing a red shirt. He slammed his face to the ground before Kai ran forward and beat him into submission with a swift combination of punches and kicks.

_"Nao, now is the time to use your newly found power,"_ Mewtwo instructed. Nao frowned as he looked at their attackers. There was just something about them that he couldn't really place his finger on. But before he could act on this strange feeling of doubt, he was peppered yet again by the ice bullets and was forced to this time use his telekinetic powers to grab the bullets from midair and redirect them right back to the hooded shooter. The shooter just barely dodged the bullets, but the white marks they left from where they grazed his jacket shone white in the faint gray light.

_"We have to get out of here!"_ Ganondorf growled angrily as Kai jumped over the chains as they came his way. _"We can't keep fighting forever, Kai!"_

_"We're trying, Ganondorf!"_ Kai said as he swung his scythe at the girl, only to miss and get his ankle caught in the chains. _"Whoa!"_

Ganondorf groaned as he slumped against a wall in Kai's mind. Sooner or later, one of the two groups was going to give out and collapse. But when that would happen he didn't know. If the other group didn't collapse soon, then Smashville was doomed. If their group collapsed, then Smashville was completely screwed over.

_"First I can't even get my revenge on those two stupid Hylians, then I get my ass owned by the _**_same_**_ two Hylians, and now this…"_ the King of Evil muttered as he shook his head. _"The goddesses hate me…"_

_"Ganondorf, the goddesses do not hate you,"_ Kai said flatly as he tried swinging his scythe again. Though he missed the girl, he managed to shatter the chains and jump up before he was entangled in another set. He watched as Kage whirled on him and out from her eyes shot twin beams of red light. The chains melted and Kai got away again.

_"We can't keep this up!"_ Ganondorf said angrily. _"These pathetic humans… why? Why must we be cursed with such a delay?"_

The bullets were flying even faster now. They simply zoomed past the guardians and hit the ground. Luckily, no one was hit too badly, but quite a few grazed them. There was already bloodshed in this fight, which was something that all of them had hoped to avoid. Ganondorf watched in dismay as his guardian lost more and more blood, fretting over what would happen to _him_ if yet another guardian died on his hands.

Din would never forgive him…

Kai was on the ground, his life's blood pouring from multiple gashes on his body where he had been shot and chained. His breath came to him in short, labored pants and his vision was blurred from all the blood and sweat running down from his temple. He watched as the hooded figure stood over him and raised his two guns, prepared to squeeze the trigger. Kai closed his eyes for the last time…

"KAI!"

_Rat- tat- tat- tat- tat- tat-!_

It was over. He was being shot at right here and right now. He could already feel the bullets slamming into him, ripping the flesh right off his muscle…

"Mother Ocean!"

_WHOOSH!_

Kai knew that voice. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes and gawked. There was a huge wall of water in front of him, spanning the entire area. It stayed aloft for only a few seconds more before it dispersed and disappeared into the ground. But what truly caught Kai's eye was the all too familiar figure standing right in front of him, the figure whose wall of impenetrable water saved his life.

_"T-Teal…"_ Kai gasped, shakily getting to his knees. Though Teal's wall managed to save him from being shot, he was still very weak from loss of blood. Teal turned around and grabbed Kai as he was about to collapse again.

"Kindness Rain…" he whispered. At his words, a light drizzle appeared above the clearing. With every drop of rain that touched the guardians, their wounds closed up a little. It wasn't long before everyone was fully healed, albeit still exhausted, and the rain stopped.

But there was still a problem to be had. The ones who attacked them, though still frozen in surprise at Teal's sudden appearance, were still strong and energized enough to continue fighting. If they didn't stop to reason soon, who knows what would happen.

_Snap! Crack! Snap!_

Teal grinned at Kai. "I'd like you and Nao to meet someone…" A figure was emerging out of the bushes. "Someone very dear to me…"

And then she stepped out, her staff gleaming in the sun. Every single guardian in the vicinity except Teal sharply drew in breath when she emerged. Whether it was her imposing features or the way she carried herself that caused all the guardians to freeze in fright, they would never know. But what they did know was that this woman was someone who had gone through great trials, who had battled nature and herself throughout all the years she was alive. They knew that no matter what, they should never do _anything_ that would make her angry. There was just something about the air around her that told them if they decided to piss her off, they would regret it.

"Everyone… this is Heather Wolfon… the Scion of Rage…" Teal said quietly. One by one, each guardian lowered their weapons or fists. Fyre swallowed the tongue of flame that was just about to come out of his mouth. Kage managed to keep her laser vision under check.

Heather stepped into the clearing and looked around. "… Tell me… why are you fighting amongst yourselves…? You're all guardians, aren't you?"

Kai got to his feet. _"Uh… sorry, Miss, but… we aren't fighting amongst ourselves… we were trying to defend ourselves from them…"_ He gestured to where their three attackers were standing, their respective weapons out and ready in case anyone should try to attack them. He watched as Heather glanced at them, her expression solemn.

"That's what I meant…" she paused for a moment and looked at Teal.

"Kai," Heather repeated. "You are fighting against fellow guardians, you know…"

_"Fellow guardians, Miss?"_ Kai asked. He was extremely confused at this new turn of events. _"I'm sorry, but these three simply cannot be guardians…"_

"Says who?" the girl asked, looking offended. "Who says that we aren't guardians?"

Kai hesitated. _"Forgive me, but it's impossible for you three to be guardians… I didn't see your double colored aura, so-"_

"Kai…" Heather's voice had just the tiniest hint of amusement. "Did you _check_ their aura before getting into this fight?"

_"Well, no… it happened so suddenly, and-"_realization donned on the Lucario. Closing his eyes, he activated his aura sensing ability and searched around. He could see the dual colored aura of Teal and Nao quite easily. Teal's was a soft light blue with light yellow swimming in it that was Lucas. Nao's was the exact opposite, a fiery orange with a bit of deep purple in it for Mewtwo. But that wasn't what Kai was looking for and he kept searching.

Aha! There it was! The three people they were battling earlier _did_ have dual colored auras. The hooded one's was a cheerful yellow with bits of blue and pink mixed within. The King of Gerudos saw that this blue and pink aura could belong to no other people but Nana and Popo, the two Iceclimbers. The girl's was a soft pure white, interrupted by rather large bits of brown. Ganondorf recognized these bits of brown as from Donkey Kong's cloud. Finally, the boy in the red shirt was shown to have a peppy red aura, with bits of brown and a darker sort of red mixed within.

_"Diddy Kong…"_ the villain muttered as he cracked his knuckles. It had been more than once that he had fallen victim to the little monkey grabbing his head.

Kai turned off his vision and opened his eyes, his expression apologetic. _"Forgive me, I didn't know… I'm-"_

The girl shook her head. "It's fine… we're at fault too…" She smiled. "We should've let you guys actually speak first…"

Next to her, the hooded one grumbled. "Great… I just wasted a whole crapload of bullets…"

Kai cleared his throat and decided to take charge of the rather awkward situation. _"Forgive me… but I suppose we should simply put this fight behind us?"_

"Sounds like a good idea…" the girl said with a rather unsure smile. "Um… we kinda have to go somewhere right now, and-"

"That's not a problem," Heather said. "Teal… I believe that it's time we get up Mount Smash."

Teal nodded. "Right… but… how? We don't have any planes with us and it'll certainly take quite a while if we try climbing it."

_"That will not be a problem, Guardian of Lucas,"_ a familiar voice spoke. Heather's staff glowed with a powerful red light, energy radiating from the orb on top of it. Kai and the others watched in fear and awe as the light from the orb extended outwards and engulfed all of them in a great bubble of light. They soon found themselves being lifted up into the air, watching in surprise as the great landscape of Smashville soared beneath them. They all turned to Heather and Teal, who were also watching as they soared above the great forest, watching as miles upon miles of trees disappeared beneath them.

Kai leaned against the bubble, a small sigh escaping his lips as a great mountain loomed before him. _"Our journey is drawing to a close… I can feel it…"_

_"Indeed…"_ Ganondorf agreed. _"It is time for the Guardians of Smashville to arise…"_

_

* * *

_

Wrath fell to his knees, his sword spiraling right out of his hand. His lungs felt like they were going to explode at any minute, his vision was clouded with sweat and blood. They had been fighting for so long, trying their best to hang on, but to no avail. It was all that he could do to even stay conscious, let alone strike.

_"Wrath… get up!"_ Meta Knight ordered. He had fallen once before and succumbed to Tabuu's power because of his own exhaustion, but he would _not_ allow himself to go the same way again. _"A true warrior fights until his sword is pried from his cold, dead hands!"_

Wrath coughed, blood spewing forth from his mouth. "F-F-Funny… Da- I mean, Tabuu once told me the same thing…" Another hacking cough came at him as she struggled desperately to his feet. "I-If I didn't know any better… I-I'd say you're just like him, Pops…"

_"I… I am nothing like Tabuu…"_ Meta Knight whispered harshly. _"I am not and never will be…" _It was possibly the biggest insult he had ever been given. He was _nothing_ like Tabuu!

Wrath coughed again and managed to drag himself over to the edge of the summit, far away from the giant paws of the giant DK. A few Alloys and Wire Frames came his way, but he managed to dispatch them. He was exhausted and drained, both from the intense fighting he was doing and from allowing the Star Warrior to take over. Already Wrath could feel the effects of the great energy drain taking hold of him, causing his vision to cloud and his body to shake like jell-o.

"Pops…" Wrath continued coughing. "You're just like my dad, whether you like it or not…" He hoisted himself up, using his sword to steady himself. The wind was howling around him, but neither he nor the other guardians cared. They were fighting for their lives, for their pride. It was one thing to survive armies upon armies of Primids, but another thing entirely to have to prove yourself a worthy warrior, to have to show that out of all the humans born and raised in Smashville, _you_ were one of the 40 that was strong enough to bear the spirit of one of the greatest fighters in the universe.

And Wrath was one of them.

"HYAH!" he lashed out like a tiger against his foes, bringing a crushing blow upon an Alloy about to sneak up on Ridere. The boy in turn whirled around and threw a thin knife- a butterfly knife- right into the glowing white core of an Alloy about to sneak up on Wrath. The two grinned at each other before going their separate ways.

_"Wrath, you must think a moment about where your loyalties lie…"_ his Smasher said quietly as Wrath once again collapsed to rest. _"You must remember that you, of all people, are turning your back on your own father…"_

"He was never my dad, Pops," Wrath spat. "And trust me, if I looked anything like that guy, I would've shot myself years ago…" Wrath's sword was covered in blood, but he did not know where it came from. Feeling a surge of revulsion at the sight of it, he wiped it on his shirt and watched as one of the newcomers, Miles, ran circles around the giant ape.

_"He may not be your father, but he was the man who raised you, Wrath…"_ Meta Knight took a deep breath. _"In many ways… you owe him your life…"_

"Just whose side are you on, Pops?" Wrath demanded. "One moment, you're telling me to go nuke the guy! The next, you're telling me I should go back and join him!" He slammed his fist into the rocks in front of him. "Make up your mind, dammit!"

_"Wrath!"_ Meta Knight was taken aback, but he tried not to show it. _"Wrath, be reasonable! I am merely trying to give you guidance on your choices… I see your memories, Wrath… your hopes… your dreams… but you lack a reason to fight… you only fight in this war because you are told so, not because you have a personal honor you must protect…"_

"I told ya, Pops, if I wanna be a good warrior, I'll come train with you when you get the Hell outta my head," Wrath said bluntly. A flash of lightning blasted its way down and struck only a few inches in front of the Guardian of Meta Knight, surprising him right out of his skin. His sword pulsed with warmth at power at the moment the lightning came down, forming what seemed to be an invisible barrier around its master.

But something was wrong. Almost at the moment his sword glowed, another blast of lightning came down at him, this one more powerful and even brighter than the first. It struck right where the giant DK was, but only seemed to leave its mark upon the guardians fighting the ape. The primate roared its triumph as it grabbed onto the stunned guardians and lifted them into the air, right over its gaping maw.

"NO!" Wrath ran forward to help, but three things had already happened. The first thing was that a tiny figure leaped upon the ape's arm from his other side and jammed the golden bow she was holding into his eye. As Donkey Kong roared and reeled with pain, he dropped the others. Wrath ended up being pinned under Mah as she landed on him.

The second thing was that the Metal Mario Brothers looked up from their fighting with their guardian counterparts to see the giant ape reeling under the sharp point of the bow. He blindly swiped at them and though MS and Green, as they called themselves, dodged the giant paw, the Metal Mario Brothers weren't nearly as lucky. Wrath watched as they flew to the side, MS and Green using this chance to follow them and pin them down. Red fire flared up and green lightning crackled around them as they wrestled their metal counterparts to the dust.

Though all of this greatly helped the guardians, it was the third thing that truly turned the tide of the battle. From out of nowhere leaped nine others, leaping up from above and striking down on the Alloys and Wire Frames like tigers. Wrath didn't recognize any of them, but there was something about their giveaway eye color that said they were here to help. Aura flared up as the Lucario struck, the pink haired guy levitated and blasted away with jet black spheres, the hooded guy pulled out two guns that would rival Aly's and shot his way into the fray…

_"Where… where are these warriors coming from?"_ Meta Knight asked. _"The element of surprise is a powerful one… and they were able to take full advantage of it…"_

Wrath looked up from where the others had leaped, but only saw the ledge of a great cliff jutting out just below the summit. He could see a figure on top of it, the figure's cape billowing around them in the wind. Wrath took a step back and shielded his eyes as a great light flooded the area, illuminating all within reach.

There stood Heather, her brown hair whipping around her as the wind howled and shrieked. Her black cloak flew out behind her like a pair of wings, emphasizing her athletic figure and her toned muscles. Her staff was raised high in the air, a rainbow halo of light protruding outward from it and casting a multicolored glow on every possible surface. Wrath felt his sword glow white hot in his hand, causing him to drop it where it vibrated on the ground.

Not far away, he heard two high pitched screams of pain as two of the female guardians, Nask and Beeh, threw something on the ground. Another scream high above them told both Wrath and Meta Knight that something had happened up on the summit where the arrow shooters were.

Meta Knight's eyes widened when suddenly, a blast of rainbow light shot right out of the pommel of Wrath's sword, where a familiar looking rainbow stone was set. That same type of light also emitted from the summit above, the place where Nask was nursing a burnt hand, and the very spot where Beeh had thrown down what looked like the necklace she had been wearing only moments before. Every single one of these blasts were shot upward towards Heather's staff, which was also glowing with an unearthly rainbow light.

"Guardians of Smashville!" she said in ringing tones. "Know that our time is near! The five shards of the Great Smashball have been united at last! Know that it is time for our great leaders, Master and Crazy Hand to return!" As she said this, the pommel of Wrath's sword began to sputter and shake.

Soon enough, it was pulled right from the inset where it floated in front of him, pulsing with power and energy. He watched as it flew up towards Heather's staff, followed by Nask's, Beeh's, and the piece upon the summit. Like a magnet, they flew towards her until out from her staff emerged a fifth piece, the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle Pit had been working so hard to solve. Every guardian dropped their weapons and watched as the pieces fitted themselves together, every crack matching perfectly in line with the others.

But it didn't stop there. Wrath's eyes nearly popped out of his head when the Great Smashball slowly descended and radiated its glorious light on two guardians in particular: MS and Green. Their hands began glowing with the same powerful light as they were hit. They both exchanged looks, a mischievous gleam in both of their eyes, together, they rose up their arms and took aim at the great barrier before them and allowed the power to build in their palms. Wrath could only watch with his mouth agape as green lightning crackled and red fire flew through the air. The two combined their powers into a single blast that was directed right at the barrier.

_CRACK!_

A thin line appeared on it as the lightning and fire hit, but the shield still held strong. MS and Green directed all of their energies into their powers and tried again, this time creating much, much more than a mere crack. Several cracks formed around the first and it wasn't long until the first hole appeared. Wrath watched as it grew wider and wider, a bubble of hope swelling up in him at last…

_BAM!_

_

* * *

_

_"FUCK YEAH!" _Fox cheered as the barrier cracked all around him. Aly shot her remaining rockets into the air in celebration as tiny green shards flew past her, bouncing off the wings of her Arwing like glass.

"We did it! We did it!" his guardian screamed happily. "I'll celebrate by _not_ shooting Mars today!"

_"That's a relief!"_ Eric sighed as his voice crackled over the radio. A devious look came to Aly's eye at the sound of his voice.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Didn't I say I wouldn't shoot _Mars_ today? I said nothing about you!"

_"But Aly…"_

"No 'buts'!" the pilot said cheerfully. "I expect you tomorrow at 2 AM _sharp_ for target practice!"

_"But you don't show up 'til __noon__!"_

"Deal with it!" Aly laughed as she cut her connection. Taking the wheel, Fox's guardian swerved the Arwing downwards and landed lightly on the patched earth. She could see the four strangers backing up as she landed. Aly couldn't help but grin at the scene below.

Fox studied each of the four with a critical eye. _"Hey Aly, notice anything about them?"_

Aly took one look at the four people and nodded cheerfully. "Yeah! They look like they can all be great target practice!"

_"No! don't you see those guys' ears?"_ Fox gestured to the two clad in green tunics and chain mail. _"And… those two little boys?"_ He pointed to the two kids in the sparkly shirts.

Aly's eyes widened as she got out of her plane. "… FOX IS A PEDO!" Of course, every guardian in the area turned towards her at that.

_"Aly, I'm… you… they… I AM **NOT** A PEDO!"_ Fox sputtered. _"All I did was call them little boys, and-"_

"PEDO!" Aly shouted as she ran around in circles. "PEDO! PEDO! PEDO!"

"Alright everyone, let's just calm down…" Mah said uneasily as she grabbed Aly to calm her down. "I mean, alright, we have a pedo in our midst..."

_"NOT A PEDO!"_

"That doesn't mean we should start getting all wild here," the girl concluded.

"Fox is a pedo! He tried to touch the little boys!" Aly sniffled.

At this, the two kids in the sparkly shirts gasped at the same time. "Oh noez!"

"Keep him away from us!" the one with the earring shouted.

"We're too young and pretty to be molested!" the other one gasped.

Having had enough of the random bickering, one of the pointy eared guys stepped forward. He was brunette with sharp features, but kind blue eyes. Being the nearest to him, Cameron was pushed forward so he could shake his hand. The two locked eyes and a sort of understanding passed between them as they shook.

The Hylian was the first to speak. "Well… I guess a 'hello' is in order." He grinned. "Name's Cimar. I guess you can call me the Guardian of Zelda. My companions are Rinku, Guardian of Link," he gestured to the Hylian still clutching his bow. "Picho, Guardian of Ness," he pointed to the twin who was bouncing a ball of fire up and down on his palm. "And Pichn, Guardian of Kirby." The other twin grinned evilly at them all.

Before anyone else could say a word, the Sky Claw and the Wolfen finally landed, emptying out its passengers as it did so. Aly watched as familiar face, such as Beeh and Miles hopped down and cheered, happy to be free of the barrier at last. Others, like the Lucario, were solemn as they got down. Aly's grin could only widen as each guardian, covered in blood though they were, got off one by one. Everyone was _alive_! Everyone was _safe_!

Except…

Eric and Mars, the last to get off of their respective planes closed the hatches to their Arwings, their faces a mixture of melancholy and triumph. True, they were proud of the work they had done today, but there was something wrong and Aly didn't know what. There was a tension in the air, fueled by the fact that some of the guardians, most specifically Miles, Fyre, and Sakura, seemed sad as well.

_"What happened…?"_ Fox asked as he looked around. Some of the guardians were still cheering while others had caught onto the mood and seemed to realize something that he and Aly hadn't. Frowning, the vulpine counted each guardian…

… And found that three were missing.

Eric's face was lined in misery as he turned to face the now silent group of guardians. "… Mars and I… we would've been up here earlier, except…" His voice cracked slightly and he looked at his teammate for support. Fox felt his panic rise at the thought of what happened.

After all, 35 guardians were needed for the final battle…

Mars swallowed as he continued from where Eric left off. "And… even though we looked… and looked… and looked… we couldn't find MS, Green, or Heather… whatever happened to them… they're missing now… and neither of us were able to find them…"

"We scanned the entire battlefield," Eric continued. "There were Alloys and such _everywhere_, but no MS or Green… we checked where Heather was last seen, but the only thing there was a scorch mark where she was once standing…" He faced his fellow guardians. "I… I'm sorry…"

A shudder ran through the group of guardians as this news sank in. MS and Green, the Mario Brothers team had vanished. Heather, one of the most feared of them all was gone as well. The guardians suddenly felt small, insubstantial, as if a huge part of them had just been ripped off by one of Tabuu's Chains of Light. There was a bit of rustling amongst some of them and it wasn't long until a certain guardian dressed all in blue ran forward. Aly recognized him as one of the guys that had helped them out. From the cockpit of her Arwing, she was able to see his mastery with water and couldn't help but wonder if he knew how to use an actual gun.

His face was lined with worry and disbelief as he approached. When he did get to the front, his expression suddenly turned a bit shy. "Y-You guys… you guys are kidding, right…? Heather… she can't be… she wouldn't be…"

Mars' face darkened. "Teal… that's your name, right?"

The guardian nodded, staying silent. "…"

The pilot shook his head. "I know that you have some sort of… connection… with Heather, but… dude, she's gone. Whatever happened to her, we couldn't find her anywhere… she was in the perfect position to get whacked by one of those giant paws or get struck by lightning, after all…"

Teal shook his head. "… She's… she's not dead… she can't be dead…" His hands were shaking. "She's too strong for that…"

Mars looked at him, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry, man, but-"

"Overkill, Mars," Eric said quietly. The pilot shut up after that. Aly watched as Teal seemed to crush on the inside at the thought of Heather being dead. Truth be told, she felt the same thing…

_"Just how close are those two really?"_ Fox asked. His tone was filled with wonder and misery all at once. _"As close as Heather was to Psyche, maybe…?"_

"That's pretty close…" Aly whispered. She was tempted to take out her gun and make some noise, but something told her that wouldn't be at all appropriate.

Rinku stepped forward. "… You're telling us… three of us are dead…? And we haven't even gone to kick Tabuu's ass yet…?"

"Not dead…" Eric said sadly. "But missing… we presume they are dead, but…"

"But we can't be?" a voice laughed behind them. It was a familiar sounding one, full of humor and grace. The guardians turned to the source of the noise.

There stood Green, looking as strong and healthy as ever. There was a long cut on his cheek, but it was nothing that wouldn't be healed over time. No, what truly mattered was the fact that he was _alive_ and standing before them. It didn't take long for the guardians to notice something else about him.

He was _floating_!

Aly watched as Green stepped onto the summit and grinned at them. "Seriously people, you really need to learn to look more carefully. We're all fine." Green's second grin was met by silence. None of the guardians could believe their eyes. The pilots were ready to pull out their guns and shoot at Green to make sure he wasn't a ghost.

Then a blur shot forward from the back of the crowd and latched onto Green, locking him in a choke hold. "YOU MOTHERFUCKING IDIOT! YOU HAD ME WORRIED! YOU HAD SONIC WORRIED! GOD DAMMIT, GREEN!" Miles was almost sobbing. "Don't _ever_ do that again!"

Green laughed. "Alright, alright! Sorry Miles!" He fell over, laughing. "I'll be good! Promise!"

"Damn right you will!" Miles shouted. "If you scare us all like that again, I swear to whoever is up there that I will _kill_ you!"

"What, no hugs for me?" MS walked towards them faking a hurt look. "I thought you liked_ me_ better than Green!"

"MS!" Miles shouted before tackling Mario's guardian. By this time, the others had thrown off their initial shock and surged forward, pounding the two heroes on the back. It was through them that they had defeated the barrier and reached Mount Smash at last, it was through them that they knew Tabuu's end was near.

Who would've thought?

The guardians all shouted in joy as they grabbed Green and MS into tight hugs, as they pounded each other on the back and danced around. Picho and Pichn had found fireworks sitting around somewhere and were releasing them into the sky. Pikana happily chased Wrath around the summit with Bazookie aimed right at his head. Tabuu's foster son, however, wasn't amused.

But in the midst of the celebration, two guardians in particular were unable to shake the empty feeling still within them. Happy though they were that MS and Green were safe, neither of the two could truly be happy until they found out what happened to Heather. Aly noticed this and stopped blasting her guns long enough to walk over to them.

"Uh… Hey! Shouldn't you two be… partying or something?" she asked. Teal and Psyche both looked at her with sad eyes. Psyche looked like she had been crying.

_"Aly…"_ Fox said warningly.

"I know, I know… be more sensitive…" Aly rolled her eyes. "Um… listen, I know Heather being… dead… and all shocked you two, but-"

"She's not dead," Teal said. "I know her too well…" He put on a smile.

Aly scratched the back of her head. "I know you don't wanna believe it, but let's just face the facts here… She's _dead_, Teal… _dead_… D- E- A-"

"She's… not… dead…" Teal's smile was bright, too bright. "She's just a bit… troubled, that's all… I'm sure she'll show up soon…"

Aly shook her head. "You can't keep telling yourself that, Teal… I mean, sure she's a strong person, I guess, but even _Heather_ won't be able to li-"

"She's not dead…" Psyche whispered. "Heather… she just can't be dead…"

Aly shifted awkwardly. "Listen…"

_BAM!_

All the guardians stopped partying long enough to look around. The sound had seemed to come out of nowhere. It was soon followed by two more sounds exactly like it. Cimar and Rinku's Hylian ears twitched slightly with every little noise. One by one, all eyes turned towards the door of the Mount Smash base. The noises were definitely coming from there…

Aly pulled out two of her guns and took aim at the base. Her two teammates followed suit, then the others raised their respective weapons. One second passed… two… three…

_"YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

A cloud of pure white gas emerged from the window and zoomed past them, turning cartwheels in the air. It was followed by a jet black cloud, which annoyed _everyone_ with its continual beeps. Aly fired at it as it passed her, but ended up hitting Eric instead. The mechanic glared at her.

Finally, a pink cloud zoomed by, sparkling in the light. _"Bye bye! I'll see you all soooooon!"_ It stopped and seemed to wave for a moment before flying away, laughing. The guardians could only stand there and stare as the cloud flew off.

It had been a truly strange sight indeed to watch as the souls of three Smashers left their glass prisons at last. For a moment, the sky was painted in shades of pink, white, and black as the souls turned and took one last look of their old base before they left. It was a wondrous sight.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" a voice asked. "The way they simply can paint the sky like that…" Everyone immediately whirled around to face the speaker.

There stood Heather, fully armored, alive, and mostly healthy. She smiled solemnly at all the stunned faces around her. Teal's and Psyche's eyes were about to pop out of their heads. Aly dropped her gun.

"Y-Y-You're…" she stammered, pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Heather smiled sadly at her in response. "Yes… I'm alive…" A breeze blew by, tousling her brown locks. She looked up into the sky and seemed to listen for a moment before speaking again. "… There's someone I'd like you all to meet…"

At once the air seemed to surge with an ancient and powerful energy as something approached. It first appeared as the smallest speck of light floating right above their heads, but the light soon split in two. The two lights grew larger and larger, filling the very air of the summit with pure energy and warmth before they shaped themselves into two powerful looking beings. Though many of the guardians did not know who they were, their Smashers could only stare open mouthed at what had appeared before them.

The Hands…

At the moment Master Hand showed himself, MS's eye color changed. It faded to Mario's familiar bright blue. Without a word, the plumber knelt before the great hand and bowed his head. His brother followed suit, taking over for Green. One by one, each guardian's eye color changed and they knelt before their long lost leader, paying the respects they thought they would never pay again.

Pit was the last one to kneel. What he had learned earlier that day was something he could never forgive either of the hands for. His heart was caked in bitterness as he finally got down on one knee, his anger reached boiling point as he continued to stare at the lost Hands.

The leaders who had abandoned them all…

Master Hand, in all his glory, looked at each guardian one by one. When he spoke, his voice rang with power and pride.

"Guardians… my Smashers…" he seemed close to crying. Crazy seemed about to say something, but his brother cut him off.

"You have all done well! I am as proud as you as any father would ever be! The time is near, guardians! You have proven yourselves worthy of bearing the flag of Smashville's new age…" he raised his voice to the heavens.

"Guardians arise!"

* * *

**It's almost over…**

**Now I'm sad… :(**

**Seeya next chapter, though!**


	21. Xavier, Drake, and JB

Confrontation

**The next chapter is here… geez, I'm so tired… Good news is that the last band competition is on the 20th of November. After that… MORE TIME TO WRITE!**

** You will notice that Mario no longer puts "-a" at the end of his words. Just imagine he has the accent, alright? It got annoying for me to put them.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything!

* * *

**

_ "It's weird, isn't it Snake?"_ Captain Falcon asked. Joe was getting settled in Room 15 and Ridere was nowhere to be found. Taking advantage of the free time, Snake and Captain Falcon had decided to catch up on things.

_"I guess you can say that…"_ Snake muttered. He was currently suffering from cigarette withdrawal. Captain Falcon knew this somehow and shot a look at him that was pity mixed with slight annoyance.

_"I know what you're thinking of, Snake…"_ he said gravely. _"Those things destroy your body, you know…"_

_"What can I say, Falcon,"_ the mercenary said gruffly. _"Those things are addictive…"_

_"Not nearly as addictive as taking care of your car, Snake,"_ the racer mused. _"One day, I swear to you, you're going to get a sweet ride someday and just forget all about those petty little things…"_

Snake snorted. _"What world have you been living in for the past hundred years, Falcon?"_

_"One filled with cars, racetracks, and of course, hot girls…"_ the racer purred slightly. _"Particularly Samus…"_

_"… Dude, that's scary…"_ Snake shivered. _"I'm going to back away now…"_

_"You can't deny it, Snake!"_ Falcon called after him as the gray cloud of gas floated away.

Snake found his guardian in the kitchen, chopping up vegetables and stuff for food. The other guardians were all busy either laughing like maniacs or sitting quietly in the next room. Of course, with that many teens in one place, it was inevitable that there would be _something_ thrown. Ridere had to duck as a chair went flying out of the dining room and slammed against the opposite wall.

"Sorry!" someone- sounded like Mars- called. "Rinku was being an idiot, as usual!"

"Why you…" the sound of tackling followed that. In spite of himself, Snake chuckled before heading back into his guardian's head.

Ridere spun his butterfly knife in his hand before chopping up the carrots in front of him and adding them into the pot. There was something sad about him almost as he did this. Snake's curiosity ended up getting the better of him.

_"Anything on your mind, kid?"_ he asked. The soldier never really took advantage of the thought reading abilities he had been given as a result of sharing a mind with his guardian.

Ridere paused for a moment as he got ready to pick out the spices. From the look on his face, it was easy for Snake- or anyone from that matter- to tell that he was troubled. Still, it took a while for Ridere to finally find the words he needed to answer with.

"… Have you ever… you know, looked at someone you've just met and… just felt really sad somehow…?" he said finally as he dumped a few spices in. "Like… like you were supposed to be… connected to them somehow, but never got the chance to be…?"

_"… Not really,"_ Snake said loftily. _"I mean, sure I miss the old crew, but I've never really felt guilty over someone I've never met… unless I killed them and they were innocent or something…"_

"That's the thing, Snake," Ridere sighed. He shoved the pot on top of the ancient stove and started trying to light it with matches. "It's Nask… there's something weird about her… I mean, she gets this messed up look on her face every time she looks and me and then when I ask her about where she's from and stuff, she starts getting all teary eyed and instead goes back to fight some more…"

_"What, you have a crush on this chick or something?"_ Snake asked in disbelief. Ridere reeled in disgust at the thought.

"No! No! Dude, that's disgusting!" he became solemn again. "… It's just… I don't know…" He looked out the window, breathing in deeply as the sweet scent of fresh vegetable soup reached his nostrils. "… Have you ever… just woken up one day and… didn't know who you were? Where you were? Where you came from?"

Snake shook his head. _"Sorry kid, but I'm not really the type of guy to catch any form of amnesia…"_

"That's how I was…" Ridere whispered. "The very first thing I've ever remembered is waking up on that ship… I didn't know who I was… where I came from… why I was there… well, that pirate guy that came in and threw the bucket at my head told me what my name was, but that's it…"

_"…"_ Snake remained quiet.

"All this time… I didn't know who I was…" Ridere whispered. He pulled the soup pot off of the stove and mixed it. "I didn't know why I was on that ship… why I didn't smell like or look like any of those idiots on board…" He tasted the soup and nodded approvingly. "And… there was just nothing to do on there except swab the decks… then one day, one of the pirates left the door to the kitchen open… I snuck in, started fooling around with ingredients, and the next thing I knew…" The boy broke a piece of break from a nearby loaf, dipped it in the soup, and nibbled on it. "I was cooking… and I _still_ don't know how the heck I can cook so well…"

Snake chuckled. _"You never know, kid… you might surprise yourself someday… finding out who the Hell you are and all…"_

Ridere sighed. "I don't know, Snake… I just don't know…" he blew on the soup before continuing. "There's just something about Nask that really… bugs me… who knows, maybe she'll end up being some kind of super secret agent trying to help me out or something…"

Snake rolled his eyes. _"Sure… as sure as she'll be your long lost sister…"_

Ridere sighed. "I just don't know…" He paused, wondering. "… Is there anything on your mind?"

Snake opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. What could he tell this kid? _"... Nothing..."_

Ridere picked up the soup pot. "Yeah, whatever…" It was almost as big as he was, which was needed if you were to feed over thirty mouths _and_ people like Cam, whose appetite rivaled that of Ike's. He began struggling towards the dining room. "Soup's on!"

* * *

Samus was miserable.

Golfer was miserable.

Roy was miserable.

Traca was miserable.

Pretty much everyone else at the table was anything but. Though Master Hand was trying to keep order in the crowded dining room, there was no way thirty something people could stay in the same room without killing each other first. In fact, he was right now trying to restrain KOR. The IC's guardian was trying to challenge Aly to a gun battle, but that was kind of tough considering that there were _a lot_ of people in the room and that they wouldn't be able to go five seconds into the battle without killing _somebody_.

Miles looked around and sighed, wondering how much crazier this place could actually get. Across from him, the two twin boys exchanged looks. They were both wearing identical smirks and there was a gleam in their eye.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, bro?" Picho asked, laughing deviously.

"Burn the kitchen or lock Cimar and Rinku in the closet?" Pichn asked.

"BOTH! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Hey, hey!" Miles shouted. "_Why_ would either of you want to do that?"

Pichn looked at him. "The closet thing or the burning thing?"

"Both!"

_"That's easy,"_ Sonic laughed. "_They'll burn the kitchen because that Ridere kid's too slow and they'll do the closet thing to **prove** once and for all that-"_

"WE'RE NOT GAY!" Cimar and Rinku shouted at the same time from across the table. One of the guardians on the other end had heard about the events in Hyrule from Picho and Pichn. And seeing that most of the guardians were teens, gay jokes were imminent.

Was it really a bad thing that Mars ended up with singed hair because of it?

The blonde girl sitting next to Miles, Sakura, looked over towards the kitchen door where Ridere was struggling with the huge soup pot. She stood up and walked over to help him out. Miles was practically drooling by the time the sweet scent of fresh vegetable soup reached him, his eyes bugging out of his head as the cover was finally removed. It took all of his willpower just to keep him sitting down with the thing in front of him.

"Dig in, everyone!" Master Hand said cheerfully. Of course, he immediately regretted it.

Imagine a huge food fight. Now multiply the amount of chaos times twenty. Even that wouldn't be enough to describe what happened next.

Miles, being the fastest, was the first to reach the soup pot. But just before he could grab the ladle, MS ran up and shoved him aside. But before MS could grab anything, Green zapped him with lightning and stepped over him to grab some food. He was then forced to run away as he was peppered by Aly's infamous laser. Aly was then trampled by both Eric and Mars teaming up on her, who were then forced to get out of the way of Rinku's, Cimar's, and Wrath's drawn swords. All in all, it was pure chaos and fighting until finally…

Beeh took a bowl full and sipped. "Hm… too much carrot, Ridere…"

Ridere gasped. "NOEZ! MY COOKING HAS BEEN INSULTED!" He pretended to choke and fell on the floor. "I AM NOTHING! NOTHING!"

_Bzzt!_

A single noise broke through the relative chaos of the room. The light bulb hanging overhead had flickered on at last. A few more followed it. Soon, the entire base was illuminated. For the first time, the guardians were able to see each other clearly without the interruption of the dim light outside or the relative darkness of the base before the lights were turned on…

And were horrified at what they saw…

A long time ago, those of them who weren't slaves or Heather were relatively healthy, their faces free from any heavy scarring and scratches. Though it was true that through their fights and numerous travels, the guardians would acquire marks of some kind that would show what they were forced to go through in order to even give Smashville just a little bit of hope. In the dim light of the gray mornings and the black nights, it didn't seem as horrible. But in this light, almost as bright as the sun that had once shown its face over the hills of the former Smashville, they saw what they had become.

Everyone was scarred. It was evident on every part of their bodies from their cheeks to their arms. Wherever a sword or a Primid knife had struck, a dark mark had been left there, as if the Subspace Shadow Bugs were slowly eating them away. Dark circles ringed everyone's eyes, only accenting their horrible scars even more so. Even the most athletic of them had long since shrunk down to the most skeletal of degrees. Because of days upon days of malnourishment, everyone was white as a ghost.

Miles shakily reached over and touched the horrible scar that ran from his right shoulder to his forearm, wondering where in the world he got it. It was white as snow, accentuated against his dark skin. It even burned slightly when he pressed his fingers into it. He looked up at Green and MS, who both bore a similar scar.

The fight with Bowser Jr., perhaps?

Master Hand cleared his throat awkwardly as the realization sank into the humans and Pokemon standing around the table. "Guardians… when you were first revealed, many of you were…" He searched for the right word.

"… Just starting out…" Heather whispered. Miles could've sworn that he saw her staff glow slightly as she spoke that one phrase. Master Hand seemed to look at her for a moment before he continued.

"Yes… well… I suppose that's a proper way to say it…" he shifted awkwardly. "I… I suppose what I'm trying to say is… um… just eat, please…" With a snap of his fingers, fresh bowls of soup and hot dinner rolls appeared in front of each of them. The guardians eagerly dug in, but the sight of their scarred, weather beaten faces had completely doused the good mood that possessed them only a few minutes ago…

Dinner was an almost silent affair. There was the occasional "pass the rolls" or "gimme the potatoes" to break it, but that was it. Some of the guardians spoke to their Smashers. Others tried starting conversations only to have them die out after a couple of seconds. Still others could only sit there and stare. Whether or not Master Hand noticed this behavior, he simply floated there and watched.

Suddenly, someone stood up at one end of the table. Miles recognized him as Samus' guardian. From what he could gather from his fellow guardians, this guy and this other girl, Traca, caused quite a bit of trouble. From the moment he stood up, the atmosphere around the table seemed to shift immediately from slightly stunned to tense. A few of the guardians, Pikana and Heather namely, reached for their respective weapons. Others, mostly the younger ones, stiffened significantly, as if bracing themselves for something. Those who didn't know what the Hell was going on, such as Miles and the Hylians, only kept eating.

Silence…

"… I'm sorry, Traca…" Golfer finally muttered, trying not to look at her or Heather's scrutinizing gaze of him. "For everything…"

"Everything…?" the winged girl asked. Something shifted behind her eyes for a moment, a flash of doubt. But this soon passed and was instead replaced by a rather neutral gaze. "What's it to you? I mean, you won't believe a _word_ I say, so why should I-"

"I'm sorry…" Golfer cut across her. "Because I finally actually stopped being a jackass long enough… to listen to someone tell me your story…" Next to him, Mars grinned smugly.

"…" Traca stared down at her soup.

"I… I guess what really got me riled up was the thought of you ditching me, Traca… after everything we went through… after all of our hard work and training… I was just really, really hard for me to accept that… that you could ditch me… just like that…"

A single tear landed in the girl's soup. "I had to… he promised that he'd tell me who I was… where I came from… why I have these wings and these powers…" The table seemed to tremble under the weight of her anger. "He lied to me…"

"He did more than just lie to you, Traca…" Wrath whispered. He stood up, his face drawn and pale. From his position, Roy could easily see the dark circles under the teen's eyes. "If the man you're talking about is the same one I'm thinking of… he's done more… much more than just simply telling a little lie…" Wrath's tone was so bitter that it took a great many guardians by surprise.

"Little…?" Traca repeated. Her eyes flashed with anger. "Little! That's all you can say! Little! I freaking ditched one of my best friends because of his 'little' lie!"

Wrath looked taken aback. "I'm sorry, miss, but when compared to his other crimes, the man-"

"He promised me that he'd tell me who I was, Wrath!" Roy's guardian continued shouting. "WHO I WAS!"

_"Traca! Calm down!"_ Roy was run ragged trying to keep her temper from exploding. Of course, the girl didn't listen to him. She was already too angry. It was a very, very lucky thing that Nask had still not yet given back her Dragon Stone.

"And what's more? I _believed_ him! I was stupid enough to believe the guy! He made a fool out of me!" her vision was red. "And all you can say is that it's a 'little' crime!"

Wrath held up a hand. "Please, miss, I know you're angry, but-"

"But what? But you can explain? What is it this time, Wrath! Is the guy who lied to me really a hero? Did he lie to me because he wanted to set the stage where I find out through a sequence of events that you're my brother! That I'm not really supposed to be a guardian! That this whole thing was all a dream! Huh!"

_"Traca!"_ Roy said warningly. The last thing he wanted to do was start _another_ rift in between guardians. In fact, quite a few of them were already pointing their weapons at his guardian, as if waiting for her to explode into her dragon form at any moment. Roy was shaking as he spoke, but his voice- strengthened from facing off against the horrible enemy of his adventures- was that of a commander. _"Traca… I know you're angry… trust me, I'd be too if someone I trusted beyond anything in the world backstabbed me…"_ The marquis felt a pang in his gut as he spoke those words. There was something in him that said that there was something wrong, very wrong about what he said.

Traca was practically crying. Golfer, looking guilty, started forward towards her. But before he could reach her, she exploded again.

"And then you say he's done worse? What can be worse than lying to a girl about promising her things about her past! Do you really think that there could be _something_, _anything_ worse than lying to someone like me! Well, do you?"

The sound of a chair flying through the air and slamming right into the wall opposite of it rocked the room. Every guardian turned their attention now to the thrower of the chair, Pikana. They were expecting another explosion out of _her_ as well.

But it was quite the opposite, actually...

"Traca stop! Please! You're digging a very big hole here! Please listen to us and try to get some sense into your head! You're hurtng everyone senseless here with your anger..." tears streaked down Pikana's eyes in misery.

"GOOD! Guess that means my anger will be very effective in taking out Tabuu and that man who lied to me! I'm gonna let them feel the pain they caused me! I TELL YOU ALL NOW! I SWEAR TO GOD I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU JUST EXACTLY WHY YOU SHOULDN'T LIE TO M-"

THWACK!

Everyone jumped in shock upon seeing a certain female's metal greet Traca's jaw. Traca had been punched hard enough to go crashing against the walls of Mount Smash. Wrath's mouth was open like a codfish as he stared at Heather. When...when did she move in front of Traca? Did she even move at all? She just suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of Traca and smashed her in the face! But now unfortunately was not the time to ask the mad woman questions, a point Wrath gathered from the fierce magma glare Heather was showcasing.

Traca managed to sit herself up slowly, her jaw throbbing from the nice, new purple bruise added to her collection of wounds. It didn't help her body was still sore from those wounds. Traca could taste her salty tears mix in with the blood that now came from her mouth.

"Don't...EVER...use your anger...against other people. EVER." the venom was evident in Heather's voice. But instead of a whimper, a hysterical laugh escaped the girl's mouth.

"HA! HA HA HA HA! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! OF ALL PEOPLE! OF ALL PEOPLE TELLING ME TO NOT USE ANGER AGAINST PEOPLE! YOU! OF ALL PEOPLE! HA! HA HA HA HA!" Traca shouted in disbelief, laughing all the while.

"AND BECOME THIS?"

Traca's laughing was immediately cut off by the terrified screams of the Guardians. She could hear feet shuffling and many steps moving further away from her. What was more though...was the change in Heather's voice. Right then, it was sharp like a snake and two dimensional in sound. Traca slowly raised her head...

...and was greeted with the psychotic red eyes of Black Heather.

"So you want to squeeze the blood out of them with your raging fist? I'm more than happy to help you do that my dear sweet child. I can assure you the taste you get will be DELECTIBLE!" Black Heather licked her lips, moving towards Traca.

Now it was time for Traca to whimper. Her own bones were shaking with her skin, goosebumps crawling up as Black Heather drew ever so nearer. Inside Traca's mind Roy was crying and praying to get away from his prison. He pretended he was lying on the sand at the beach with Lilina and far FAR away from the abomination. He could almost not bare to look when Black Heather bent right down near Traca and place her thumb on Traca's jaw.

"You and I are bound to make a great team," Black Heather wiped away the blood on Traca's jaw with her thumb. "Somewhat like mother and child...I'm the one who finds your prey and kill them...and you're the one who drinks them up afterwards."

Every Guardian in the room were frozen down to the core of their hearts. A chill air filled the cave turning the sweat of their fear cold water dripping from their hair. Traca said nothing but her eyes spoke all her emotions when seeing Black Heather lick the very blood she had wiped off Traca.

"It's warm...warm like your anger...I can feel it burn my tongue. But it's also salty...salty with the tears of the pain you've felt all these years. I would more than happily accept you as a daughter, dragon child." Black Heather sighed in annoyance.

"But of course that bitch of a counterpart of mine already has plans set in motion that I'm to obey. Stupid how I just HAVE to be part of someone like HER. Anyway, I'm pretty sure you can see her point, right?" Black Heather gave Traca a bored look.

Roy blinked. Traca blinked. All the guardians blinked.

What the fuck?

"I take that as a no. Point is, do you really want to become...a psychotic, cannibalistic, sexually hyped, blood lusting bitch," Black Heather groaned. "Which is what the careless, reckless, stubborn-ass, rage-filled bitch puts me as."

"So you just think I'm going to become you do you? Psychotic and lusting for revenge? Eating peoples' corpses? YOU... YOU ASSUMPTIVE BITCH!" Traca stabbed her claw into Black Heather's shoulder, who made no motion to stop the claw from embedding itself into her left shoulder.

"...what I'm saying is you don't want to live the life I am living..." a broken voice sounded from the Scion of Rage, placing her metal hand on Traca's arm. Traca looked back at Heather to see she had returned to normal.

"You don't want to live my life...you don't want to life a life where people cower in fear every time they see your face. Where parents cover the eyes of their children the minute they see you walk in the room. Where people spit on your face and tear your clothes apart in disgust of you because they know you can snap right on the spot at any point in life and kill them all. Where you have the uncontrollable rage to murder the world and have a person live inside of you who craves to relish the pain her own rage causes herself upon all..." Heather took out Traca's claws from her shoulder slowly, still not looking up at the dragon.

"...don't do what I do...don't live how I live...I beg of you and pray to God...don't..." Heather stood up from her place and walked away.

"Don't become what I have..."

* * *

Mario had had enough. Master Hand was trying his best to soothe the chaos that ensued after Heather left the vicinity. The plumber watched with fearful, yet slightly interested eyes as the Wolfon walked away. He watched as a certain cloud of gray smoke slowly emerged from her ear, knowing that Wolf probably wanted a moment to himself to think. Looking back at the chaos, the plumber chose to leave the mind of MS...

And found himself facing every Smasher whose guardian was present.

_"… Wow… did I miss a party or something? Where's the pasta?"_ Mario asked, trying to make a joke. The remark only served to deepen a few of their scowls. After a moment of silence, Peach was the one that chose to speak.

_"Mario… I don't know if you got the message, but Pit called a meeting… a meeting between Smashers… we're talking about…"_ she shot a fearful glance at Master Hand and went silent. The giant floating limb was too trying to stop Eric from killing Mars to notice.

_"Who, Master Hand?"_ Mario asked. _"But c'mon, guys! I mean, sure he could've shown up earlier, but at least he's here, right? He can help us train our guardians for the final battle, and-"_

_"That's the thing, Mario,"_ Falco spat. _"He **could've**… but he didn't…"_ The bird shot a glare at their leader. _"To think that I actually used to respect that dipshit…"_

Mario was confused. _"Wait a minute. What's going on? Did I miss something here?"_

The Smashers all exchanged looks. A few even whispered amongst themselves. There was a rather tense feeling in the air, as if the Smashers were going to break out in an all out brawl at any moment. Even Bowser and Ganondorf seemed solemn. After what seemed like hours, his brother finally spoke.

_"Brother… do you remember when Pit was reading on the battlefield?"_ he asked.

_"Of course I noticed!"_ Mario said rather sharply. He turned to glare at Pit. _"Pit, I know that there are many good books out there, but you **don't** just run off the battlefield and read! You could've accidentally killed your own guardian by doing that!"_

_"I'll have you know that I was reading for a good reason!"_ the angel shot back irritably. _"And it was to know how the Hell we get past that barrier!"_

That quieted the plumber down. _"Oh… well, I suppose that's understandable…" _he frowned. _"But that still doesn't explain why you're all suddenly so… angry with Master Hand…"_

_"There was more in that book than just a way to get past the barrier, Mario…"_ Zelda whispered. If the princess was able to cry in her ghostly form, there was no doubt she would be doing so right now. _"So much more…"_

_"What else could there be in there?"_ Mario asked. He could sense an undertone in all of this, but he chose not to speak of it just yet. _"Master Hand may have his faults, but they can't be **that** bad-"_

_"It's bad, Mario…" _Lucas said quietly. _"It's really bad… Master Hand kept so many secrets from us…"_

_"Well, he had his reasons,"_ Mario pointed out. _"I mean, everyone has secrets they keep from others. Like I have reason to keep it a secret why the pasta always disappeared on Pasta night, but I'm sure that unless he had a really good reason to tell us, he didn't…"_

_"What if said secrets involved us?"_ Pit asked. _"What if said secrets involved him **knowing** that we'd all end up like this?"_ He gestured around him at the ghostly shadows of the Smashers' former glory. _"What if… what if said secrets involved him knowing that no matter what happened… our guardians won't make it out of this war alive…?"_

The plucky plumber froze at this new bit of information. Master Hand had always had his faults, dark secrets that he kept behind locked doors. But to hide information from the Smashers that could've helped them in some way? What was he _thinking_!

Then again, there had to be some good reason that the great hand had kept this information secret from them all throughout the war. If their guardians truly were going to die during the war, there had to be some other plan Master Hand had in store for them all.

_"What is wrong with you all…?"_ Mario whispered in disbelief. Never in a million years would he ever believe that a few words in one book would turn them all against the hand that had treated them like his own children. _"Master Hand does everything to keep us safe and you're just… just turning on him just like that all because of one book?"_

_"It's not just that, Mario,"_ Ness said evenly. _"According to said book… he **knew**, even after we beat up Tabuu, he **knew** that we were all going to end up this way someday… and he didn't do anything about it…"_

_"You all have no one but yourselves to blame for that,"_ Mario said sadly. _"You should have… kept up your training like I asked you all to during the vacation… instead of lazing around… or go shopping… or terrorize the local kids or something…"_

_"I'll have you know that those kids totally had it coming!"_ Ganondorf retorted.

_"Mario…"_ Luigi lowered his head. _"We do appreciate Master Hand… for all that he did… but what he didn't tell us… what he could've done to allow us to prepare our guardians better for this-a war… is unforgivable…"_

_"What you guys are doing is 'unforgivable',"_ Mario said hollowly. _"Turning your backs on the guy we all looked up to as a leader… for the past hundred years…"_

_"Mario…"_ Sonic, the hedgehog Mario had come to respect as both a great ally and rival, was filled with misery. _"It's going to happen tonight… if Master Hand is going to keep secrets like that from us…"_ He took a deep breath. _"… We have no choice… we're going to overthrow him… spirits or not… we have to do something about it…"_

_"But… why…?" _Mario was disgusted by the selfishness of such a plot. _"You'll all be putting your guardians in danger!"_

_"Sir…" _Lucario, one of the most reasonable of the Smashers now spoke. _"It is the only thing that can be done… __Meta__ Knight and Mewtwo both agree…"_

_"He abused his power… **our powers** for his own gain…"_ Mewtwo's eyes flashed with anger. _"He must be punished…"_

_"… All of you…"_ Mario shook his head. _"Forgive me, but… whatever you plan to do… I do not wish to play a part…"_ he turned around and began to leave. But he stopped at the door to say a last few words.

_"Rest assured, Smashers… all of you shall see his reason… someday…"_

* * *

When Eric walked into the kitchen that morning, he was greeted by two guardians already in there. Cimar was reading a book in a chair while Cam was digging through the fridge.

"Good morning," Cimar said as he marked the spot in his book and put it away. "You're… Eric, right?"

The pilot nodded. "Yes… and you are…?"

Cimar grinned. "Call me Cimar, Guardian of Zelda."

"Cam, Guardian of Ike," said guardian bit into a turkey leg. "My roommate is fun to beat up!" This one was said rather loftily, since Ike's guardian looked bored at the moment.

Eric saw a coffee pot already brewing and decided to wake up with a hot cup. "I'm glad someone seems to be satisfied with their roommate…" His tone was just bordering bitter.

"Who are you stuck with, Eric?" Cam asked. He managed to find some beef jerky in the cupboards.

Eric scowled slightly. "Mars… it's bad enough that I have to be on the same team as the guy, but… let's just say the next time I see someone with a coin, they're going to get shot at." He took a nonchalant sip of the coffee. "And unlike Aly, I actually _aim…_So… what are _you_ three doing up so early…?"

"I wanted to check out the library," Cimar said eagerly. "It's got a ton of great reads!"

"I'm up because the bookworm over there _woke_ me up!" Cam scowled at Cimar.

"It was only one book!" Cimar protested. "And it wasn't a very big one anyways!"

"It was still a _big_ one and now I'm up at who knows what time in the morning and now I'm raiding the fridge to satisfy Ike's appetite!" the other young man snapped back.

"Will you two shut the Hell up!" a door had opened near the end of the hallway and the annoyed face of Rinku stuck out. "Some of us are trying to sleep, you know!"

"It was him!" Cimar and Cam both pointed at each other.

"Well, whichever of you did it… SHUT UP!" Rinku slammed the door shut.

If the argument actually bugged Eric in any way, he didn't show that it did. "Eh, I couldn't stand Mars' snoring anymore… that and Lucario has this weird fetish of getting up early in the morning to meditate..."

Cam tapped his chin with the turkey leg. "I'm thinking of whipping the rest of the guardians into shape… we'll need all the training we can get if we're going to even stand a chance against Tabuu…"

Cimar frowned at him. "Sorry, Cam, but I intend to teach the younger guardians a little something called the alphabet today."

Cam gawped at him. "… We're in a middle of a war here… AND ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT ARE TEACHING KIDS THE FREAKING ABC'S!"

"SHADDUP!" Rinku yelled as he opened the door and slammed it shut again.

Cimar glared at Cam. "Just because we're all going to die and possibly become possessed doesn't mean that we have to miss out on our studies. Besides, being smart is good for you. It prevents you from… say… charging headlong into a huge fire blast without any real way to protect yourself from heat except maybe some cheap leather armor…"

Eric choked a bit on his coffee because he laughed so hard. Cam was about to open his mouth and say something more when Eric decided to cut in.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but Aly, Mars, and I are going to get in our planes and see if we can locate the three newly released Smashers," Eric took another sip of coffee. "You know, since this world's pretty big and all…"

"Tch… more like an excuse to skip out on some proper training…" Cam grumbled.

"Or schooling!" Cimar pointed out. "There's still a lot that needs to be learned about battle tactics and such before we can even get our butts on the battlefield!"

"Listen you two, as much as I want to spend the day getting my ass kicked and having to read useless books, the pilots and I all have our own jobs to do and those guardians out there aren't getting any closer by the day, so-"

"Books are _not_ useless! They are filled with plenty of-"

"Random crap we don't need on a battlefield! I don't give a damn on how many times Edward kisses Bella in an hour!"

"Not _those_ kinds of books! Strategic books for tacticians, since those are very good to have on the battlefield, and-"

"WHY DON'T WE ALL SHUT UP AND DO ALL THREE?" Rinku slammed his door shut again.

"That's not a bad idea …" Cimar muttered thoughtfully.

Cam nodded. "Yeah… if we make those guys get up at six, that'd be one hour for breakfast, another for basics like… Smash the Targets and stuff like that, another for hand to hand combat, another for swords…"

"Considering that half of them probably don't use them anyways," Eric snorted. "The other two and I can take two guardians each and rotate it every day…"

"Swords are good for you! They're… sharp and stuff!"

"Guns are better!" Eric shot his out the window to prove it. It spliced a sapling nearby neatly in half.

Cam was still planning out his part of the training program. "Then after swords, we can move on to some Smasher power thingy practice. We'll all have to learn how to master our Smashers' respective power…" Cam tried opening the nearest cabinet, but instead ended up ripping the door off its hinges. "… So _that_ doesn't happen…"

Cimar did a few calculations. "That'll take us all the way until noon, which will be the perfect time to sit down for lunch. And after lunch, we'll end the day with some good old fashioned schooling!"

Eric took another drink of coffee. Then, he pulled a pen and some paper out of a nearby drawer. Sitting down at the table, he waited until Cam and Cimar gathered around before speaking.

"First off, we should start out with this…"

* * *

The training grounds of Mount Smash's summit were a vast, open space. According to the memories he had seen popping up now and then in Lucas, he knew that the Smashers had often used these grounds for their own training. But back then, it had pretty much been every Smasher for himself, save for the occasional spar between swordsmen. Master Hand apparently had tried to get the Smashers to work together and train together, but something stopped them from doing so.

It was then that she saw something silhouetted against the fog. Frowning, she looked closer at the light fog of the morning and could just barely make out the shape of a small figure sitting at the very edge of the summit. The shadow itself seemed to pulse and fade slightly as the fog moved, but from the long black hair that flowed lightly in the breeze, it was easy to tell that the person was a girl. Most likely, it was Crystal.

Teal stood up. "I'm going to take a bit of a walk outside…"

Stepping from the warmth and comfort of the Mount Smash base, Teal found that the air outside was cold, just bordering freezing. He took in the cold mountain air, smiling a little as the mist touched his fur.

In the distance, he saw the two guardians. With nothing more to do, he walked over. He saw that Crystal seemed to be speaking to KOR.**  
**

"It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?" Crystal asked conversationally, hoping to draw Teal out of his shyness.

Teal nodded. "Yes… it's… lovely…"

KOR shifted awkwardly. "Sure…" He hid his claw- like hands in his lap, not wanting to provoke anyone with them. Heather could tell that he was still extremely uncomfortable around her.

"May I asked what you two are doing up so early?" Teal asked. "After all, people your age usually sleep in until noon or something…"

Crystal gave her a strange look. "Why would I want to fall asleep while I'm in a dream?"

Both Lucas and Teal were taken aback by this statement. "A dream?" he asked Crystal. "… This is… a dream to you…?" She gestured around her at the slowly pulsing early morning mist, the colorless world around them. For a moment, it looked to Lucas that this truly was a realm of dreams, a place where neither time nor life existed. But as soon as Lucas blinked, the realm of dreams became a vast, desolate wasteland once more.

Smashville…

"This isn't real… None of this…" Crystal shook her head, as if trying to ward away Heather and KOR. "When I wake up, I'll be at home… just like I was before… I won't be here… no one has died… I haven't hurt so many…"

"Crystal…" KOR nearly blanched in disbelief. "What are you saying…?"

"I'm saying that none of this exist… neither of you two exist… you're just figments of my imagination… this is all a dream… this is… too weird to be real…" She shook her head. "You're not real… none of you… the voice in my head… that's just something that's there…"

_"Is she alright…? I mean, she seems kinda crazy…"_ Lucas asked in disbelief. KOR seemed to be thinking the same thing. His eyes flashed with anger and he suddenly ripped off his glove, revealing his horribly warped hand underneath.

It was rotten to the core, the fingers were ragged to the bone. The fingernails themselves had long since been elongated into horrible claws, shining almost jet black in the faint light. They were the cold, dead hands of a demon, a miserable whelp from the very depths of Hell itself, with a horrible stench to boot.

Crystal and Teal both recoiled slightly in horror. KOR had kept his hands hidden in his gloves all through dinner, even taking them into the bathroom when he went to go take a shower the night before. According to his roommate, Chi, the teen had even refused to take them off when it was time for bed.

"See this, Crystal?" KOR asked, anger dripping from his every word. "See it!"

Crystal shook in fear at the sight of the hand, watching as a small chunk of flesh slowly peeled off from the bone itself and fell on the earth. "Y-Y-Yes…?" Teal could only look on as the events unfolded.

"Do you know how I got this hand…?" KOR whispered harshly. "Does this hand look fucking fake to you?"

Crystal hesitated slightly. "W-Well… such a thing can easily be faked by makeup, and-" A scream escaped her as a small piece of KOR's flesh was flicked onto her. She quickly brushed it off like it was poison.

"Does it?" KOR growled.

Crystal quickly shook her head. "N-No! Of course not!"

"My whole goddamn village _died_, Crystal!" KOR shouted. "Every person in the freaking village except me_ died_ because of some stupid _plague_ those stupid Shadow Bugs brought along! I only survived because I was the only one smart enough to get my ass out of there before it was too late instead of praying to the 'Great God Tabuu' to save us! I _told_ them that Tabuu was no god… that he wouldn't listen to them no matter how hard they tried!" His hand clenched in rage, biting into the already rotting skin with his nails and tearing slightly at the mottled flesh. "But did they listen? NO! I had to stand on a hill and watch as they all _died_! Sure, I got a bit of an infection as well, but at least I made sure not to let it spread! But the village… my family… THEY'RE ALL DEAD!" He shoved his glove back on. "IS THAT FAKE? IS THAT ALL SOME STUPID DREAM I'M GONNA WAKE UP FROM?"

Crystal shook in fear. "N-No! I mean, yes! I mean, well-"

"IT'S NOT, IS IT?" KOR yelled. "IS MY FAMILY GONNA COME BACK? ARE MY FRIENDS? HUH?"

"KOR…" Teal reached over and put a calming hand on his shoulder. "That's enough!" He wanted to avoid a fight.

KOR stood up. "I'm outta here…" he mumbled angrily. "Gonna go grab some grub…" With that, KOR sauntered off towards the base. For a few moments, Teal and Crystal only sat there in silence.

Crystal wrung her hands. "I… I honestly didn't mean… I hope I didn't offend him…"

Teal sighed. "I'm afraid that there is much that I'll have to talk to you about… For starters-"

He was cut off by the roar of engines not far away. It was a familiar sound, the gentle humming of a well oiled, well built machine. Every guardian on top of Mount Smash had heard this sound before. After all, they had either ridden on these very ships or watched as they had landed on the top of Mount Smash. Teal and Crystal watched as the three Arwings slowly lifted themselves in the air, spewing jets of air into the stormy gray sky.

_"Look, Teal!"_ Lucas said excitedly. _"They've already picked people to go!"_

True to his word, there were indeed a few faces of certain guardians waving from the windows of the three planes to the others down below. Teal recognized Squall and Lin on Aly's Arwing, Pikana and the twin boys on Eric's, and Wrath and Sakura on Mars'. The rest of the guardians were waving and shouting at them, wishing the voyagers luck on their first day out.

Just before the three ships activated their infamous Ludicrous Speed function, Wrath caught Teal's eye. There was a rather strange light in his eye that Teal hadn't seen before. It was a light of triumph and excitement. He looked exhilarated to be in the ship, as if he had been waiting for something like this his whole life. It wasn't long until the ships sped away, leaving Mount Smash for their own destinations.

"Do you think they'll be able to locate the newly released ones?" Crystal asked slightly wistfully. It was easy to tell that she too longed to be on those ships.

Teal shrugged. "You just never know…"

* * *

_"Lalalala!"_ Jigglypuff was in a good mood. In fact, she was in a _great_ mood. After waiting for hundreds of years, she was _free_. She had been waiting for this day for what felt like her whole life, ever since she saw Pit fly out into the wide blue skies for the first time so long ago.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_ A black cloud traveled behind the Pokemon, unable to say anything beyond the strange beeping sounds it made. Whatever language this cloud spoke, Jigglypuff was quite able to understand it.

_"Oh, you catch up, Game and Watch!"_ Jigglypuff turned around and stuck her ghostly tongue out at him. _"Just because **you've** been locked in an 'extra tight jar' as you call it, doesn't mean that you have to 'slowly take in the scenery'! I mean, we have **guardians** we need to find before they die!"_

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_ Game and Watch protested. It was true that though he was eager to get to his guardian, the 2D Smasher wished to slow down for a bit to take in the all too familiar landscape of Smashville. After all, it had been an extremely long time since he had last seen it. He remembered exactly and in great detail of how when he used to take long, lonely walks near the many streams and through the woods of Smashville. It made him sad, in fact, to know that as long as Tabuu reigned supreme, he would never get to see the beautiful sights the natural environment of Smashville had to hold for him.

And Jigglypuff's impatience wasn't helping either.

_"Guardians first, scenery later!"_ she sounded pretty angry. Truth be told, Jigglypuff simply wanted to see if her guardian was much of a singer. It would be pure suicide for the Pokemon if she was stuck with a non- singing guardian. _"We have time, you know!"_

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Bloop!_ Game and Watch shot back irritably. He had just told her that they might not be _alive_ any time soon if she continued to be as impatient as this.

_"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"_ Jigglypuff made a movement with her cloud, as if she was waving his comments away. _"But hey… I'm not the one that gave Crazy Hand a barrel of sugar… AND THEN ALMOST GOT SHOVED IN A PAPER SHREDDER!"_

_Beep! Beep!_ That had absolutely nothing to do with the subject they were talking about. Shaking his head in exasperation, Game and Watch remained silent for the remainder of the trip.

The two had been traveling for about three hours when Jigglypuff suddenly halted in place. Game and Watch, being nothing more than a mere cloud of gas, was able to pass through her, but the sudden fog of pink that appeared in front of the 2D Smasher startled him for a moment.

Jigglypuff stared at something down below, her large blue eyes narrowed in concentration. _"… I've found them…"_

_Beep?_ Mr. Game and Watch barely had time to say that one word before he was forced to dive down after Jigglypuff.

The pink Pokemon hurtled herself downwards, ignoring the leaves of the trees that got in her way. She had sensed something as she flew over the forest and she was _determined_ to find out what it was.

Of course, what she wasn't expecting was the arrow that came hurtling at her.

_"AH!"_ Jigglypuff ducked out of habit, but the shaft sailed harmlessly through her and instead slammed against a nearby tree trunk. She whirled towards the source of the arrow.

It had come from a nearby tree, one with some low branches that a skilled jumper could use to get to the top. Jigglypuff could just barely make out a small figure hidden within the canopy of leaves. He was small and of slight built, just the right type to be climbing trees or dodging attacks.

Of course, the bow he held in his hand also gave him a bit of an edge if it came to fighting.

The figure leaped down and examined his arrow. Jigglypuff could now see that he was dressed in the garb of a hunter. Though it was true that said garb was covered in dirt and patches, it was garb nonetheless.

He had black hair and dark eyes, his face was pale and pinched. There was a very, very hungry light in those dark eyes as well. He had the look of a person who had gone for days without eating and if they went any longer, they might just eat themselves. Of course, seeing that he missed the mark on the tree by a few inches, it was safe to say that he wouldn't be able to _immediately_ kill anything.

Jigglypuff pitied him. No, in fact, she felt for him. It had been many a night back during the war where she was forced to go to bed with little to no nourishment because Tabuu had destroyed their food stores. What little food that the remaining Smashers had managed to salvage was not nearly enough to feed powerful fighters such as they.

The boy walked up to the arrow and yanked it out of the tree, holding it close to him for inspection. They were finely made arrows, but it was easy to see the many chinks and such on the broad heads and the dull points, which were extremely unsuitable for archery. Despite this, he placed the arrow back in his quiver and proceeded to tromping through the trees. Jigglypuff, knowing that there was something about this guy that she had to find out about, followed. Mr. Game and Watch reluctantly followed as well.

They soon found themselves in a clearing of sorts, one of the ones that were quite common throughout the woods. But it was the tiny copse of trees in the very back of this clearing that caught their eye.

There stood the tiniest cottage ever seen under those trees, made out of what looked like timber from fallen trees and mud. It was an extremely simple place to live to be sure, not nearly as conspicuous and flashy as the former Smash Mansion. But there was just something about it that gave it the homey touch neither Jigglypuff nor Game and Watch had felt for the longest time.

The hunter entered the cottage and lit what looked like an old oil lamp, placing his things on a nearby table. Like the rest of the place, the table looked like it was roughly hewn from a tree and the oil lantern was most likely stolen. The cottage itself was freezing and even with the tiny bit of heat that came from the fire crackling in the fireplace nearby, it did little to lift the cold air already blowing around the place.

Slowly, the roughly cut furnishings of the place appeared before their eyes. A couch appeared, followed by a rug and another table. The more the light grew, the more the cottage seemed like a home. As the light from the lantern and the fire reached to the four corners of the single room, another thing was illuminated. Jigglypuff and Game and Watch both gasped in surprise at what they saw.

There was a bed in the cottage as well, a tiny one made for only one person. However, this bed was currently occupied by someone else, not the hunter. The person's back was to the wall and they laid very still, but from the slight rise and fall of their chest, it was easy to tell that they were alive.

The hunter pulled up a chair next to the unconscious person and heaved a sigh. "… Listen…" his voice was soft and a bit light with just the barest trace of mischief. "I don't know who you are… and why you're here… but if you can just wake up for a bit… that'd be greatly appreciated…"

_"Poor thing…"_ Jigglypuff murmured.

_Beep! Beep! Boop!_

_"Not the guy on the bed! The hunter! He spends so much time taking care of the poor guy…"_

Now that the two Smashers were floating close to the bed, they could see that the unconscious victim was a young man with fiery red hair. There was a pair of goggles on his head. His face, like the hunter's, was pale and extremely pinched. Not far away, there sat a pair of glasses that were broken beyond repair. All in all, it created a sad, pitiful scene.

"I know you probably can't hear me anyways," the hunter continued. "But I need to get you outta here… I don't know what the Hell you did to get those Primids so pissed at you, but I won't be able to protect you for much longer… I know you haven't seen my archery skill, but… look, all I can say is that it's bad… I may be able to take on a couple of severely injured Primids on my own, but that's it…"

_"Oh… it makes me so sad…"_ Jigglypuff sounded like she was ready to cry. Mr. Game and Watch, on the other hand, felt more for the unconscious one than the hunter. Then again, of course, his face bore the marks of one that had worked hard all his life but was unloved, underappreciated.

Mr. Game and Watch had never truly met someone like him…

_"Something must be done…"_ Jigglypuff murmured. _"I can't just keep floating here and watching him sacrifice everything to help someone… I know! When I meet my guardian, I'll-"_

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

The hunter jumped and whirled to look at the door. The large piece of wood was splintering heavily, as if it was being rammed from behind by something. There was also a ton of gurgling on the other side. Jigglypuff and the 2D Smasher knew immediately what they were…

Primids.

"No!" the hunter frantically grabbed his bow. "Not here… not now! Why!" He raised his eyes to the heavens. "Why do you hate me!" As he spoke these words, the boy on the bed stirred slightly. For a moment, the hunter's eyes flashed with hope as he moved. But he was soon back to being limp and the hunter was alone once again.

Meanwhile, the crack in the door had widened all the more…

_"No!"_ Jigglypuff screamed as the door finally gave way. It was blasted right off its hinges where it flew through the air and immediately splintered against the nearest wall. Again, the red head on the bed stirred, but didn't open his eyes.

_"I must do something!"_ Jigglypuff sobbed. She shot right towards the hunter as he sprang into action and loosed a flurry of arrows at the Primids waiting in the doorway. Out of the three he shot, only one found its mark.

_Beep! Beep!_ Game and Watch protested as the pink blur shot past him. But the next thing he knew, said pink blur had disappeared, almost into thin air. When the 2D Smasher attempted to float around to search for the Pokemon, he only got peppered right through the cloud of gas with bullets.

Suddenly, the hunter's eyes went from brown to light baby blue, the exact eye color of the Pokemon that had disappeared only moments before. Game and Watch reeled in surprise, but nothing shocked him more than the speed at which the hunter dodged the scope Primid's shots. Jigglypuff had never truly been the fast type, but it was pretty cool how she was able to use the hunter's speed to her advantage. Of course, there was the whole thing where she could no longer Rollout, but that was a small price to pay if it gave her such speed.

Game and Watch knew she could keep this up for quite a while, but though she was a great fighter, the body she was sharing was still human through and through. One wrong move and it would all be over for her. The Smasher knew this and determined to help, he started out the window to search for his own guardian.

But something stopped him.

Now Game and Watch wasn't normally one to fuss with magic. Magic was a complicated thing, a power that no mere mortal could possibly understand. With his much simpler outlook of life, he saw magic as a mere nuisance that could be done without. But this time, of all times, he chose to give magic one chance at proving itself to him.

He followed the gentle pull of the strange wind upon his cloud and entered the mind of the red head.

The very first thing that met him was a fog. It was thick as pea soup and as white as snow. It pulsed around him and came at him in swirls, spiraling off into the vast oblivion just before they touched him. Game and Watch had never encountered such a strange phenomenon before and he certainly didn't know what to do about it.

At the moment, he was unsure of whether he should wander about this world or stay put. On one hand, if he chose to wander, he'd figure out just where he was and maybe even find life here. But on the other hand, if he stayed put, it would prevent him from getting lost in this strange world. After pondering for a bit, he came to a decision.

He started walking.

Shadows flitted past the 2D Smasher as he passed, shadows of what looked like figures form a long forgotten past. He could see the faint outlines of men, women, and children, all bent and warped in the strangest positions. Their faint mouths were open, their arms were raised to the sky…

Almost as if they were screaming in pain…

_"Who's there?"_ a voice called out, echoing slightly in the din. _"Show yourself!"_

The Smasher, unable to see the source of the noise could only shout back in return. _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

As per usual, he was met with a stunned silence. Humans were usually completely unable to understand him the first time they met him. He was used to this by now, despite that no human had come in contact with him for about a hundred years.

_"… Whoever you are… please… lemme outta here…"_ the voice was pleading. Never one to simply pass over someone in need, Game and Watch walked in the direction he believed the voice was coming from.

Once again, he found himself walking past shadows of things he could not see. He tried once to get closer to them to find out what they were, but they simply went farther back the closer he got. Giving up the pursuit, he walked on.

He soon found a strange structure in the distance. It was extremely unusual for something like this to show up in a random place like someone's mind, but there it was. It was a large square cage, one of the ones that was normally used to hold tigers and lions. But Game and Watch squinted through the fog and saw that instead of holding an animal, it held a human.

The same boy whose mind he was currently in.

The boy's eyes widened. _"Oh thank goodness… please, if you can get me out…"_ He gestured to the lock on the cage.

Now Game and Watch was unsure of what he should do. Though it was true that it was cruel and unusual to lock someone in a cage, there was always a _reason_ for that. It was quite possible that the boy was locked in here because he was dangerous, dangerous enough to even potentially harm Jigglypuff and her new guardian. But on the other hand, he could just be another innocent soul that had fallen victim to Tabuu's treachery.

_"Please… whoever you are…"_ the boy's eyes shined with the innocence of youth. The lock fell right off at Game and Watch's touch…

And then, the next thing Game and Watch knew, he was lying in a bed and staring at the ceiling. He could feel the warmth of the thin sheets that surrounded him, smell the dust filled air. He moved his fingers experimentally, reveling in how they obeyed his ever command.

_"… Who are you?"_ the voice of the boy he saved asked. He sounded timid, scared almost. _"I'm Drake…"_

Game and Watch opened his mouth to reply, but he was immediately cut off by the sound of a body hitting the floor. Throwing off the covers, he leaped to his feet in time to see the body of Jigglypuff's guardian collapse to the floor. The Primid who stood over him was holding a wooden club and was now staring menacingly at Game and Watch.

_"Watch out!"_ Drake shouted. Game and Watch had almost no time to react as the same Primid with the club rushed at him, swinging the deadly weapons in circles over its head. Game and Watch ducked under it and grabbed the thing by its head. One throw later, there was a Primid shaped mark on the left wall of the cottage.

"Well look who's awake!" Jigglypuff said cheerfully as she struggled to her feet. She saw the color of the eyes of the boy before her, recognizing the blank blackness that was Game and Watch's eye color. "Nice, Game!" She got up. "My guardian's name is JB Cristal. Yours?"

One again, Game and Watch opened his mouth to answer. Once again, he was cut off by _more_ Primid attacks. Exchanging looks, the two Smashers dashed outside to escape the confinements of the small cabin and readied themselves. Suddenly, three motorcycle- like enemies appeared from nowhere and nearly ran the two over. They barely sidestepped in time, but now they were surrounded. This was truly life and death now.

The Primids came out of the cabin, their red eyes flashing with hate. The yellow eyes of the motorcycle- like enemies bore right into their very souls, sending a message of pure hate and bloodlust. Back to back the two Smashers stood, too scared to make a move in case they would make a mistake and cost their ally their life.

"Game… if we die here…" Jigglypuff sounded like she was going to cry.

_"We're gonna die?"_ Drake sounded panicky. _"I never signed up for this! Get outta my head!"_

Game and Watched shook his head. They _weren't_ going to die here. He was going to make absolute sure of it. Even if it cost him his own life, his friend Jigglypuff would make it out no matter what. He placed a hand on Jigglypuff's shoulder and gestured to the tiny opening in the surrounding wall. It was only big enough for one person to get through safely. The signals were clear to the Pokemon.

When he attacks, she runs like Hell.

"No way!" Jigglypuff said angrily. "I can't just ditch you like that! There has to be another way!" She was answered with a silent shake of the head. This only aroused her more. "Game, don't do this!"

Game and Watch put a hand on Jigglypuff's shoulder. There were tears in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak…

_Rat- tat- tat- tat- tat!_

Like magic, the earth was suddenly peppered by bullets from the heavens. They fell upon the Primids and motorcycle beings like hail, biting into their disgusting Subspace flesh. As the Shadow Bugs hit the earth, two figures leaped down from above as well, landing on them like Mario hopping on the Goombas.

One of them, a girl with a cap that was similar to Red the Pokemon Trainer's grinned at the two Smashers. The other one, a dark haired male, pulled out what looked like a gunblade and started making Swiss cheese out of the remaining enemies. They fell easily to the powerful weapon as it weaved in and out of them. But what truly carried the day was…

"YAHOOOOOOOOO!" someone shouted from above. An Arwing dived towards earth, spraying even more bullets in every direction. Game and Watch and Jigglypuff were both forced to dodge to avoid the bullets biting into their flesh. The bullets peppered the ground and laid waste to any enemies the boy had missed. Then, they were followed by what looked like Subspace seeking rockets that vanquished all the Shadow Bugs as they grouped together to reform.

"We're saved!" Jigglypuff breathed. Her smile widened when the girl with Red's hat ran over to them. Her eyes flashed with concern.

"Are you guys alright?" she asked. "We thought we were too late when we saw you two surrounded like that! Then again, I guess danger around every corner is sorta the consequence of having Smashers living in your heads…"

"Thank you for saving us!" Jigglypuff's adrenaline was still racing. "I honestly don't know what we would've done without you!"

The girl grinned. "Well, I'm glad you're safe. I'm Lin, by the way. Guardian of Red, the Pokemon Trainer."

Jigglypuff reached and shook her hand. "I'm Jigglypuff, Smasher of JB Cristal!"

Lin grinned. "Awesome! Nice to meet you, Jigglypuff! Red told me all about you!" She turned to look at Game and Watch. "And you…?"

Game and Watch looked at the two women smiling expectantly at him, feeling uncomfortable. He had never really been accustomed to the spotlight and now, these two were putting them there. The 2D man couldn't help but wonder if his life was taking a turn for the better. Being mostly ignored all his life, it was strange to be paid attention to so much at the moment.

_"Just say your name,"_ Drake said encouragingly. _"It's alright…"_

Game and Watch took a deep breath. It was now or never…

"M-M-My… n-na-name… is G-Game… and W-Watch…"

* * *

"Hey man, are you alright…?"

He was floating. He couldn't feel or see anything. A black cloud surrounded him, clouding out his vision. He couldn't even remember his own name…

"H-Huh…?"

"Great, you're alive… can you hear me…?"

That voice penetrated the darkness, bringing just the faintest trace of light. He reached out for it. The light moved away, fading into the darkness once again.

"Hello…? Move a part of your body of you can hear me…?"

Another light appeared and disappeared just as quickly. Frustrated, he felt himself beginning to descend, falling into a sleep he knew he would never wake up from. But he had to stay awake, he had to keep fighting…

… But why…?

_"If I were you, I'd get up…"_ a voice suddenly spoke up. Now the black world was tinged with a faint white light. In the place with the most white, there seemed to be a cloud of some kind floating there. When the voice spoke again, it was as if the cloud was speaking to his very soul. _"Concussions can have lasting effects on the brain, you know…"_

Wake up… he had to wake up…

"I-I…"

"Yeah, that's it… c'mon, open your eyes… you're going to make it…"

_"You better. If you don't, I won't be able to perform any emergency CPR on you."_

He opened his eyes. He saw the ash gray sky up above. There was a tiny sliver of light that made it through the clouds. The air smelled like ash.

"I…" his vision was blurred. But he could tell that there was someone kneeling over him, making sure he was okay. That someone was wearing something dark.

"C'mon … fight it! You're almost there!" the voice was encouraging. He continued to try waking up.

"I…"

_"Take deep breaths and don't rush it. You'll make the concussion of yours worse if you do. Trust me, kid… I'm a doctor."_

"I…" he blinked. His vision cleared. His nose was filled with the rancid stench of ash.

He remembered who he was. His name was Xavier. He grew up in a small village on the outskirts of Smashville. He was prepared to be shipped off to the nearest Smashball factory to become a slave. He and all of the others that were about to be shipped off had rebelled.

And then… nothing…

_"Don't panic… you seem to be suffering from post traumatic amnesia… it'll all come back to you soon…"_

He coughed.

The person kneeling over him gently thumped him to help him get the ashes out of his lungs. He was a rather strange looking person wearing a long black cloak and equally as black gloves. What was more, he wore a black hat and a black scarf that covered most of his face. Only his eyes, strangely yellow, glittered out from beneath all of this. Under normal circumstances, this would've been pretty scary and would've raised alarms in any sane man's head that they should run away immediately.

But then again, this was _Smashville_…

"Are you alright?" the man in the coat asked.

"I am… thanks…" Xavier blinked. He was still having trouble remembering what happened after the rebellion. He could remember screaming, people running, fire everywhere…

The man shook his hand. "I'm glad you're alright… it seems you're the sole survivor of that… burning incident…"

Xavier's breath caught in disbelief. "W-W-Wha-…?"

_"I suppose that would explain the air quality,"_ the voice continued wistfully. _"It's pretty bad right now…"_

"Who are you?" Xavier asked. He wasn't sure if he was talking to the voice in his head or the person in front of him. Despite this, they both answered at the same time.

_"I am Doctor Mario M. Mario,"_ the voice said.

"I am… the man seemed hesitant in telling his name. "… Sol… my name is Sol…"

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Sol… I'll remember that…" He struggled to his feet. "What… what happened…?"

Sol's eyes seemed to dim as he asked this question. "… Look around you, Xavier…"

The entire landscape around him was black with soot. What was left of houses of any kind stood off pathetically against the wind. In addition to the ruins, it was easy to tell that there were bodies as well. Their burnt flesh sent a reeking stench into the air. Their faces (or what was left of them) were contorted in pain and torment. Many of them had died reaching out for another person, whether it was a loved one or a friend.

Xavier felt weak in the knees as he saw this, his vision once again became blurred. He remembered now. He and the other would- be slaves had rebelled and attacked the Primids about to take them away. When they had tried fleeing into the small huts, one of his fellow rebels set it on fire.

But the fire could not be controlled. There was not a single drop of water to be spared in the village. No matter what they tried to do, they only helped the fire spread even more, consuming everything in its wake. What was more, the village had been barricaded by the Primids. They had set up special force fields around it so no slave would escape.

Xavier had been forced to watch _everyone_ burn…

"You were starting to submit to the ashes…" Sol explained quietly. "I saw that you still had the slightest chance of survival… so I waited until you were knocked out and dragged you to safety… I protected you until the fire went out…"

Xavier looked at him. "And the others…? My friends…?"

Sol could only shake his head. "Gone… I'm sorry…"

_"…"_ Dr. Mario hesitated a bit before speaking. _"Your friends… I do not have any doubt that their deaths… were all painless…"_

Xavier couldn't believe what had happened. "They're gone… all of them…" His tears hit sprinkled the ground. "Gone…"

Sol placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I could only protect one at a time… if I had left you, you would've died instead…"

Xavier glared at him. "OH YEAH? WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU? HUH?"

His shout startled both Dr. Mario and Sol. While Dr. Mario tried thinking through the source of this sudden outburst, Sol could only stand and watch it unfold. After all, he had to remain calm or disaster could strike.

"I HAD FRIENDS, SOL! FRIENDS AND FAMILY! THERE WERE TONS OF KIDS YOUNGER THAN ME THAT COULD'VE BEEN SAVED! I WAS THE ONE THAT ORDERED THE FIRE! I SHOULD'VE PAID FOR MY CRIMES!"

"You don't understand…" Sol whispered hoarsely. "Your survival… it was crucial…"

"DON'T UNDERSTAND? HOW THE HELL DO I NOT UNDERSTAND? I SHOULD NEVER HAVE ORDERED THE VILLAGE TO BE BURNED! I KILLED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE! I SHOULD BE BURNING IN HELL RIGHT NOW!"

Sol glared at him. "Like it or not, I saved you because I _know_ for a _fact_ that your survival is _crucial_! Don't ask me how because even I don't know why you're so special! But something tells me that if you die, all of Smashville is doomed!"

"ALL OF SMASHVILLE IS DOOMED IF I LIVE, SOL!" Xavier was practically sobbing right now. "WHAT IF I SCREW UP AGAIN, HUH? WHAT THEN?"

"Then you learn from your mistakes…" Sol was starting to cool down. "Xavier, please, listen to me…"

"YOU LISTEN TO ME! I DON'T DESERVE TO BE ALIVE! I DON'T DESERVE TO BE STANDING HERE WHILE THE BODIES OF MY FRIENDS ROT AND DECAY! I DON'T CARE IF ME BEING ALIVE IS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL SMASHVILLE! I'M GOING TO-"

_Rumble, rumble, rumble…_

Sol froze at the sound, his eyes widening in fear and surprise. He looked at the ground, watching the pebbles quake and shake every which way. He had heard this rumbling once before and it was something that he had hoped to never hear again. He had been running for so long, never resting, always traveling…

And now he had dragged another person into this…

"Run," he said simply as his hands began to glow.

Xavier looked at him. "… What…?"

"Run," he repeated. There was a huge dust cloud coming over the horizon. "They're coming… they're coming for me… and because you know me, they're going to get you too…"

"What are you talking about?" Xavier demanded. "Just who are you? Why are they looking for you?"

Sol shook his head. "Now's not the time… Xavier, RUN!" The cloud was approaching. Now Xavier could make out the shapes of Primids among other creatures of Subspace.

His insides went cold.

"I'm not running…" he said angrily. "If I die in battle… I'll atone for what I've done…"

Sol glared. "Dying isn't going to solve anything! RUN!"

"I'm not running…"

"RUN I SAY! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO TO YOU!"

"I'M NOT RUNNING!" Xavier shouted back.

Sol looked into his eyes and saw the determination, the great flash of bravery behind them. It was a truly rare thing to find someone with such a trait in their eyes and he knew that once their mind was set on something, there was no stopping them.

Stubborn fools…

He had no choice. The army was upon them now. It was either stand fast and fight for the victory or die trying. He grimaced, knowing that it was likely the latter would happen.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Xavier…"

Xavier nodded. "I do too…"

Dr. Mario took a deep breath. _"Prepare yourselves!"_

_

* * *

_

Pit was wide awake.

He didn't know about his guardian or frankly her roommate, Heather, but he was awake. If he tried to sleep, he'd probably only get a bunch of nightmares. Besides, there was no need for him to sleep now…

That was one benefit of his corporeal form.

To be exact, the angel was awake for only one reason. He was waiting for the signal, a small sound made by one of the Smashers that would tell him it was time. Pit was anticipating this, right to the point where he knew he'd be sweating if he still had his body. The angel was a nervous wreck, his gut twisting every which way at the thought of what was to come.

The pilots had returned today with only two guardians. Only two of the three guardians that had been released the other day had been recovered. That left one guardian to stand alone, out there where the stakes were high and the death toll higher. Pit knew that something had to be done to help the lost guardian, but it was not in his power. For now, he had to concentrate on the task ahead of him, a mission entrusted to him that he never thought he would carry out.

And then…

_Tweeet…_

Pit knew that whistle. He had, after all, been taught it by none other than the Hero of Twilight himself a long time ago. It was made by putting two fingers into your mouth and blowing. Gripping his bow, the angel emerged from his guardian's mind. When Wolf did not emerge from Heather, who was sleeping on the next bed, Pit simply jumped out the window and landed on his feet just outside. Like a ghost he glided over to the next three pairs of window and blew the same whistle. Inside, the Fire Emblem trio made not a sound as they emerged from their guardians. With a nod to them, Pit glided away towards the kitchen.

There was already a light in there. He could see it clear as day. Not only that, but he could also see the extremely faint outlines of his fellow Smashers as they moved about within. For a moment, the angel felt a pull in his gut at what he knew was going to happen. The Smashers themselves had planned this ever since they found out about exactly what secrets the little diary held. Pit braced himself and flew in, feeling the eyes of the others already boring into him.

They were fearful, every single one of them. Even the bravest of them were fearful. He could easily see it in the look of their eyes and the paleness of their cheeks. If any of them had hearts at the moment, it was evident that every single one of them would be racing faster even than that "final" battle with Tabuu long ago at the very end of Subspace War I…

But that was the past. Back then, they had trusted their leader, loved him, revered him as a god. He had been their guidance and their counselor, their sole light in the world where all had fallen to chaos. But after all these years, after everything they went through…

He had lied to them…

_"Where is he?"_ Falco demanded after waiting for a bit. The Fire Emblem trio had just come in, dragging the little kid Smashers with them. The only one missing was Master Hand himself. Even Kirby, the heaviest sleeper other than Jigglypuff had roused himself up to come here. Falco's demand had cut through the silence, stunning many of them for a moment. They were so stunned, in fact, that they almost missed what happened next.

A small white ball of light appeared in the center of the room. This ball pulsed and rippled with a kind of ancient and powerful energy that could only be found if one looked way past the beginnings of time and space. It grew and took form, bringing forth fingers and a palm. Master Hand appeared in the room once the light disappeared and simply floated there, taking in the sight of his Smashers glaring at him through hate filled eyes.

"My Smashers…" he whispered. "My children… it's been so long…"

_"Yeah, it has alright…"_ Wolf snarled. The embodiment of creation was taken aback by the tone of the lupine's voice. _"About a hundred years, in fact…"_ Without another word, the former pilot gestured with his ghostly claws to something on the table.

It was a leather bound book, dusty and yellow with age. There were faint stains of blood on it, as well as a large, horrible red blemish upon its cover that could only mean that the person… or _people_ that had managed to escape with such a thing had lost at least one of their kin. Master Hand felt a horrible twinge of guilt spark within him as he remembered that conversation with Goddess Palutena only hours before…

But now was not the time for that.

"Forgive me…" Master Hand's voice was laced with regret. He floated over to the book and picked it up, watching as the blood soaked cover caught the faint light of the single bulb. "I should have told you all the reasons why long ago… I should have said something to make you understand why I had to leave you so suddenly… I-"

_"Enough is enough, Master Hand,"_ Ganondorf said sharply. _"You've lied to us… you **said** yourself that Tabuu was dead, but he's alive… you **knew** he was alive, but you never said a thing… you sought to see us get defeated… to **reduce** us to nothing more than mere clouds of gas!"_ The Gerudo King started forward. _"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't Warlock Punch you here and now!"_

"Calm yourself, Ganondorf…" the hand said uneasily.

_"No! You said the exact thing to me a hundred years ago! Though I calmed myself back then, I shall not now! Not when you tricked me and made me look like a fool… made us **all** look like fools!"_ Ganondorf's fist flared with purple fire, growing with every word spat out between his lips. _"You don't deserve to have a body of your own… you don't deserve to **live** if you continue to lie to us this way!"_ He came forward, but some of the Smashers held him back. Others could only look on as Master Hand struggled to keep peace.

"Please, calm yourselves, Smashers…" he whispered. "I beg of you… let me speak…"

_"You've spoken enough, Master Hand…"_ that name rolled off of Pit's tongue like it was poison to him. _"You **knew** what was wrong with us… how we would lose… **everything** leading up to us meeting up with those humans… and you never said a thing…"_

The hand's voice was choked with tears. "Pit… please understand… though I did foresee that Tabuu would survive, I never knew… never thought until it was too late what power he had received from his dabbling in the Dark Arts of Subspace… I didn't know until it was too late, much too late, to train you… I believed… I _hoped_ that he would see the error of his ways and return to the World of Light…"

_"I believed the same thing about a certain Sephiran…"_ Ike snarled angrily. _"And what did he do? He tried to kill my entire army… Michiah… Sothe… Soren… Elincia…"_ His voice broke as he said the next name. _"Mia…"_

Master Hand turned his attention to the mercenary, who was shaking with anger and grief as the memory of the peppy Trueblade's death was forced back into his mind. "Ike… I'm sorry… I never foresaw the death of that poor girl… if only I had known… if only I knew that there was no way Tabuu would change sides… I could've helped you protect her… protect your entire family…"

_"IT'S TOO FUCKING LATE NOW!"_ Ike screamed. He tried picking up a chair, but realized that he was completely incorporeal. He instead curled his fists in rage. _"MIA'S DEAD! SHE'S GODDESS DAMNED MOTHERFUCKING DEAD! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"_

_"Ike!"_ Marth shouted. _"Ike, let him speak!"_ Unlike some of the other Smashers, Marth wasn't all that ready to hate Master Hand yet. Roy, on the other hand, was already charging at Master Hand. Torn between two of his best friends, Marth could only sit down and groan, his head in his hands.

"Smashers!" Master Hand shouted over the noise. "Stop! Please, stop! You'll wake up your guardians!"

That was the wrong thing to say. The mention of the guardians set quite a few Smashers off, most notably Pikachu, Wolf, and Pit. While the lupine pilot managed to just barely keep his temper under control, the electric mouse and angel were already charging as well. Master Hand blew both them and Roy back with a strong wind and forced them to sit down. It was easy to tell that the hand was panicking at the sight of the chaos the ghostly Smashers were causing and it was only natural that he had to stop it.

The Smashers glared at him, many of their faces twisted in hatred. Master Hand felt his very heart and soul rip apart at the sight of the people that were once like children to him. Trying his best to keep his voice from shaking, the hand gave one last effort to reason with them.

"I know… I know I have been a fool, Smashers…" he whispered. "I know that it was because of me… of my not telling you how the Subspace has tainted you… that you are like this now… that I have dragged in those poor, poor humans into this mess and that they deserve a much better life than just mere running away from dangers… I know they should deserve to live peacefully, without worry or fear…"

_"There is but two questions I must ask…"_ Lucario whispered. Alone among the Smashers, he and Mewtwo had not yet taken a single course of action to either indicate they supported or shunned Master Hand. _"I must know… why…? And how…? How has the Subspace tainted us…? And why did you not tell us before…?"_

Master Hand took a deep breath, knowing that there was no way he could avoid this. "Very well… a long time ago, as you know, you defeated Tabuu in the first Subspace War… to do that, you were all forced to come to contact with Subspace… the most tainted substance in the all the known worlds… when Tabuu touched, he was tainted… and when you all did…" Master Hand paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know if you've noticed, Smashers, but your skills were enhanced… every single one of your strengths were dynamically improved, almost to the point where it was… abnormal…"

_"That's a good thing, right?"_ Kirby asked. He remembered how he was able to swallow bigger things than usual, but never minded it much until now.

Master Hand looked at the little cloud of pink gas with an expression that was a cross between pity and misery. "Kirby… it only depends on how you look at it… Subspace has gifted you all with great power… but at the same time… your greatest flaws were greatly inflated as well…" Master Hand turned to each of them in turn, as if he was trying to figure out each of these traits. "Pit… I remember you were always a rather fast, speedy fighter… you were also strong, for your size…"

Pit's cloud didn't move. _"Yeah, and…?"_

"Way back when you were fighting the Primids… in that last battle before you were reduced to this form… do you remember how unusual it was… how _strange_ that though they were once powerful in Subspace War I, they fell easily to your blades this second time around?"

The angel hesitated. _"Well… yeah… but that still doesn't explain-"_

"I believe it does, Pit," the floating limb said sadly. "That though both your strength and speed increased that day… something else did as well…" He floated very still and some of the Smashers suddenly had a mental image of a man behind a desk putting his fingers together. "Tell me… what caused your downfall…?"

All eyes were on him now. Pit hesitated slightly, uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving because of tonight's events. After much pausing, the angel finally began his story.

"I was cutting through them… like scissors through paper… I was able to take out hordes upon hordes of them at once… not one of them was able to touch me… when the more powerful enemies came at me… those Armknights… those things that float around and shoot people… I was able to defeat them in one blow…" Pit's voice broke slightly. "I thought I couldn't be defeated… the feeling was amazing… I was the last of the Smashers… I thought I could do it… I thought that if I could only keep this up, Tabuu would fall down at my feet as easily as the Primids and the other members of the army did…" Pit's voice trailed off at that.

Master Hand nodded. "Yes, Pit… go on… I believe it would be best if they hear it from you rather than from another source."

Pit groaned. "It's just that… I don't know what happened after that… I rushed towards him… I was ready to take him down… he blasted something red at me and then…" Pit shook his head. "Nothing…I couldn't feel my body… my blood… the ground… anything…"

Master Hand nodded. "Yes… as you can see… though your strengths improved your greatest weakness, your cockiness was increased as well…" He turned to each Smasher in turn. "Smashers… I am afraid that I have no acceptable reason why I am unable to tell you why you were all tainted… I suppose that my reason from a hundred years ago was as selfish as could be… I sought only to give you a fighting chance… with such information on your shoulders, it would only stress you out… weaken the tiny fighting chance we had… alas, I should have known… I should have foreseen that if I did not tell you about how your most diminishing traits has weakened you, there was no way to keep them in check…"

_"… So… what you're saying is that… the only reason you didn't tell us… was because you were afraid that we'd be too worried about it… to fight…?"_ Captain Falcon's tone was disbelieving.

"I am afraid that is the only reason I have…" Master Hand murmured sadly. "I know it is a foolish and selfish one, but I worried much… too much, about all of you… I told myself that your mental stability was much more important than your fighting spirit… that it was more important for you to fight at your very best rather than concentrate so much on one great flaw…"

_"… Master Hand…"_ Mario stood up. Alone of the Smashers, he was the one that did not be so quick to jump to conclusions upon seeing the written confession of Master Hand. He had, in fact, been using the time between dinner and now to try to think up a logical explanation for all of this. What the great hand had said just now confirmed what he was going to say. _"Master Hand… don't go beating yourself because you think you've caused our downfall…"_

Every Smasher eye was on him. Mario had always been their leader, their role model. When he spoke, he always spoke for the Smashers and it was always for good reason. Thought there were occasions when some didn't agree with what he said, he still always would be their leader.

_"I know a lot of us aren't exactly, happy with how you planned things out over this past century…"_ Mario said, choosing his words with extreme care. _"I admit, there were times when I wondered if you had abandoned us or was laughing at us because you had been keeping us waiting for so long… we've had some bad times… and it seems like forever since the last time I've actually known what it was like to have a body, but… but maybe having our souls ripped out and stuffed into jars is actually for the better…"_

Silence.

_"… Mario…?"_ Snake asked. _"What… what do you mean…?"_

_"I mean that if we actually somehow won against Tabuu… all the good times we've had since then would not exist… we would never have seen the world the way we've seen it already…"_ Mario paused for a moment. _"And… and we would have never met our guardians…"_

He let that sink in for a bit, watching as the Smashers all stared at the floor, lost in thought. In a few, he saw a noticeable change from doubt to pondering to acceptance. Others, such as Meta Knight, remained passive looking. The plumber looked earnestly at each Smasher in turn, taking in their looks of realization and neutral stares. A few of their expressions, namely the villains', did make him a bit uneasy, but the rest seemed pretty alright.

_"… I believe I speak for all when I say this…"_ Mario said quietly. _"If we had not become clouds, we would never have met our guardians… there have been bad times, but also good times with them… without them… what would happen to us…?"_

"Indeed, Mario…" Master Hand agreed. "There is a reason why you were given to each of your respective guardians… they serve a much greater purpose than merely being there to help get your bodies back… they are, in fact, there to help you Smashers see your greatest flaws… the more I look at your guardians, the more clearly I can see each of you… you each have a guardian with a unique background and personality, a personality that in many ways help define you as the person- or Pokemon- you are. In many ways… your guardian has helped shaped you into something much more than a few flimsy characters in an ever changing world… you are your own person now, Smashers, and even without bodies, you'll always be that group of brave fighters no one has ever matched…"

_"… We've learned an awful lot over these past months…"_ Link admitted. _"It's just… so hard to believe…"_

"Smashers… I know that you no longer trust me because of my foolish mistake…" Master Hand said. "But… if there's anything… _anything_ I can do to help you prepare for the final battle… I will do all in my power to help…"

A soft rumbling could be heard as he spoke this. Though all of the Smashers had heard this sound before, each and every one of them turned to find the source of the noise. There was a soft _thump!_ within the next room, as well as a light tinkling of glass hitting the floor. Slowly, each Smasher looked out the window, watching as a single streak of hazy green light illuminated the skies for just a moment before disappearing into the horizon.

A tiny sliver of light appeared upon the horizon. It was soft yellow in color and brought a beauteous golden glow to the gray skies. For a moment, the world was a flurry of color, more beautiful than anything ever imagined. The Smashers in particular were highlighted, twinkling like little stars in the din. One by one, each of them faded away, bound for the minds of their guardians as the bright rays of the morning snaked their way across the heavens.

Master Hand watched them all leave, his insides twisting slightly in anxiety. Though the talk had been long, he had not received a single indication on whether or not his Smashers still despised him for what he had done.

However…

Pit had remained. He was the last to leave. The angel was staring at the hand, his cloud glowing softly in the light. For a moment, they locked eyes and a sort of understanding passed between them. It wasn't long before Pit began fading as well, but not before he said a few final words.

_"Today… is a new day…"_


	22. The Last Guardian

Last of the Guardians

***ahem* I am pleased to announce that after talking a bit with my awesome beta reader, I've decided to change the style of how I write this a bit… not explaining how, I just am.**

**… with luck, this will seem less rushed and I will seem less stressed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.

* * *

**

He was afraid…

That was the only thing on his mind.

Fear, pure raw fear.

It ate away at his heart, tightened every muscle in his body. He couldn't move, couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't breathe…

He was a great big mass of fear…

"Sol!"

Sol whirled around and swung his blade, nearly cleaving off Xavier's head in the process. Ever since the Subspace Army had shown up upon the relatively empty plains of the burnt village, he and Xavier had been hiding, trying to evade their foes as long as they could. They had just taken refuge in one of many of the burnt houses, hoping that the stench of the smoking wood would ward off the Subspace denizens.

"What is it, Xavier?" Sol demanded. His chest was heaving up and down, the adrenaline roaring through his veins at lightning speed. There was a sharp pain right in the center of it as well, only inches away from his heart. He took deep breaths, hoping that they would drive away the sharp pain and hide the fact that his facial features were already reacting to the intense ache building up in that exact spot.

"We have to get outta here and fight," Xavier growled. "It's not like we can keep hiding forever!"

"Keep your voice down!" Sol hissed. "They might hear you… then it's all over for us…"

Xavier gripped the short sword he was holding all the more tighter. "If we don't suck it up and fight, it'll be over for us either way!"

Sol shook his head in disbelief. "You… you don't understand…" he reached into his pocket and closed his hand around something hidden deep within it. "Those enemies… their power… it can absolutely destroy you… even if you… you claim to have powers that are great, there's no way in the world that your power can be greater than Subspace's…"

Xavier narrowed his eyes. "… How the Hell do you know…? How the heck do you know whether or not I have 'powers'! How the heck do you know whether or not their powers are better than _mine! _Just who the heck _are _you?"

Sol hesitated. On one hand, one part of him desperately wanted to tell this young man something that he had tried to keep hidden for the longest time. It was a secret that was never meant to be, a force that had caused him to be relentlessly hunted by Tabuu for what seemed like years and years. It was the very thing that caused the pain in his chest, the pulsing, throbbing energy that attracted every Subspace denizen for miles around. It was a secret so powerful, so horrid that Tabuu himself dedicated life and limb to get it.

But on the other hand…

"That white streak, of course," Sol said quietly. His eyes were both shining like twin flames. "There's no way that _anyone_ would miss something like that… last night, I saw it cut through the skies, heading right towards this place…" there was a strange underscore in his voice, as if he knew _exactly_ what was currently within Xavier's head. Truth be told, he _did_ know. "I know for a fact that there's something going on right now… something that'll change Smashville forever…"

Xavier's eyes bored into him. "… How do you know…? How do you know that any of this can really happen…? How do you know whether or not someone like me can actually make a difference in this world? In case you have noticed…" Xavier gestured to himself. "I'm just one guy."

Sol shook his head. "You're just one guy, true, but by the looks of things, you've been entrusted with something that would cause most people to go insane…" the throbbing in his chest was back. It was horrible, cutting through him as if it were trying to rip his very skin apart.

And all the while, the dreadful Subspace Army approached even closer…

_"He has to use this power!"_ Mima hissed. _"It's the only way we'll be able to even have a **chance** to get outta here alive! Even **you're** powers won't be enough to give us a small fighting chance if this Xavier guy doesn't help!"_

Mima…

She had been living within his mind for what seemed like years already. Ever since that horrible, horrible day way back then, she had been his sole companion, his only advisor in the cruel world that Tabuu had warped. She was wise, to be sure, but insane as well. It was often times that Sol would look back on that day and wonder if this Mima truly existed or if he was simply going mad…

She was a young witch with long green hair cascading down her back. Sol had met her when she first spoke up in his mind that fateful day. It had been just after he had been hit, just after the horrid item embedded itself in his chest and he was forced to leave the village he had known for so long just to protect its people from the Subspace Army…

"Please… you need to employ your powers if we're going to get out of here alive!" Sol snarled angrily. This kid was starting to irk him with his refusal in cooperating.

Xavier placed his hands together and rubbed them, closing his eyes in concentration. When he opened his hands again, a pill had appeared in them. It was an extremely large thing, not at all suitable for swallowing but perfectly balanced for throwing. However, judging by the expression on Xavier's face, Sol could tell that he was tempted to throw the thing at _him_.

Sol backed up a few paces. "Now see here, Xavier-"

Xavier stood up, eyes flashing angrily. "Listen, as much as I want to help you, I need to know! Why do you know so much about what's currently living in my head!"

Sol's breath caught as another spasm of pain shot through him. "I'm sorry… but I cannot say… not without…"

"Without putting me in danger?" Xavier asked bluntly. "That excuse is starting to get old, _Sol_."

"It's the truth!" Sol's chest was simply spazzing with pain now. This was _beyond_ anything he had ever felt in his life. It was as if the thing in his chest was feeding off his anger, sapping away at it like a strawberry milkshake.

Xavier narrowed his eyes. "… Give me one good reason… give me just one reason why I should believe you… why should I listen to you when you haven't even shown your face properly to me yet." He gestured to how Sol's scarf covered his face completely, leaving only his bright yellow eyes.

Sol looked away. "There's a reason why I cover my face, Xavier… it's for both your and my protection…"

_"And because you're a scaredy cat!"_ Mima laughed.

Sol made a sound that sounded a lot like a growl before turning back to Xavier. "Please… if you care at all about the future of Smashville, you just have to trust me…"

Xavier sighed and placed the pill he was holding on the ground. "… I still don't trust you… but if you claim that helping you out can help Dr. Mario and the rest finally free Smashville…" he stood up and rubbed his hands together, causing yet another pill to appear. "Then I'll do everything I can…"

_BOOM!_

The hut they were hiding in rocked dangerously with the impact of the explosion. From the sound of things, quite a few of the Subspace enemies had bombs. Sol and Xavier exchanged looks, knowing that it was either charge into the oncoming hoard now and risk certain death or dash over to the hut next to them and use it as a base of operations from which they could attack.

Of course, they charged.

_"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"_ Mima shouted angrily as Sol. A powerful looking weapon had appeared in Sol's hands, a longsword that was simply covered in blood. The blade itself was sharp enough to cut the air and it wasn't long until many of the Subspace enemies had fallen to the tip of his blade.

Sol's sword- called the Masamune- wove in and out of the Shadow Bug spawned creatures, killing many of them on the spot. However, the horrid pain in Sol's chest continued to throb, burning his very flesh with every Subspace enemy that fell at his feet. This throbbing was horribly intense, almost to the point where he probably would've burned to a crisp had he been what he once was…

What he once was…

Sol saw that Xavier didn't face a problem like his. But it was the red rings around his eyes that radiated what he felt. He was _angry_, almost to the point of berserking. Sweat poured down his brow in torrents, soaking his clothes and brow.

For a moment, Sol considered his choices. Xavier, destroyed and broken as he was because of the deaths of his loved ones, could prove to be a powerful ally when in a berserker rage. But on the other hand, a berserker naturally attacked everyone, regardless of whether they were friend or foe. Xavier possessed the power of one of the Smashers, Sol could feel it. But what would it be like if this power was used against him…?

He had no time to choose.

Out of nowhere, a Primid appeared, swinging its Beam Sword like a club. The Masamune came up to intercept, but was easily knocked away when Sol was slammed with the power of one of the Autolances as it jabbed him with its javelin. A cut appeared on Sol's hand, but it was not at all the red substance people had come to call "blood"…

Shadow Bugs poured out of the dreaded cut, pooling at Sol's feet…

"No!" Sol desperately tried to use the tattered remains of his coat sleeve to cover the trail of Subspace parasites that leaked out of him. But he was too late. Xavier had already seen what was steadily pouring out of his arm and it was all he could do to stop the young man from getting stabbed by that same Autolance. He was forced to grab the thing by the tip of its spear, crying out in pain as the sharp weapon went right through his hand.

More Shadow Bugs hit the earth…

_"Your cover's blown!"_ Mima groaned. _"I **told** you to tell him the truth when you met him!"_

"Quiet, Mima!" Sol snapped. With great effort he wrenched his hand off of the lance and ducked as a giant pill went flying over his head. The pill exploded upon contact with the Autolance, revealing its glowing yellow core. Another exploding pill took that out as well, finishing off one enemy and leaving still more.

"Who are you!" Xavier demanded, pulling out more pills and throwing them in all directions. "_What_ are you!"

Sol shook his head. "Now's not the time to tell you… we're _still_ under attack!"

The Super Sheet flew out of nowhere and took out some of the first layer of enemies advancing towards them. It was evident now to the Subspace enemies that one of the people they had cornered was a guardian. Their orders were to capture any guardians they would find and bring then straight to Tabuu. But as for those connected to these guardians…

Well, it was either kill them or take them in as slaves.

Sol saw the suddenly aroused army, realizing with a jolt that though the pills could've been mistaken for the capsules that were often used in fights during the Super Smash Brothers tournaments of old, the Super Sheet was definitely the most recognizable thing out here. Only Dr. Mario was ever powerful enough to be worthy to wield the Super Sheet.

They were caught.

"This is bad…" Sol muttered as he and Xavier were forced to go back to back. The Subspace Army, empowered by the fact that they had caught a guardian at last, was closing in. Sooner or later, the two would be in reach of their weapons, and then…

A pea green streak lit up the grey skies. For a moment, everyone could've sworn that they heard what sounded like a _cackle_. It shook the air and sent shivers down many spines. But what truly set this streak apart was the horrible smell it left.

It was the stench so terrible that it left everyone dizzy in its wake. It seemed to cover the area in a cloud that was thick as fog and smellier than anything ever imagined. The cackle rang through the air and filled their ears, the cloud of puce green virtually blinded them. But there was one thing that hung in the air that they _knew_ only belonged to one man.

The rancid smell of raw garlic.

"Ugh!" Xavier recoiled as the stench wafted past him. "What have these things been eating!"

Sol shook his head. "The smell isn't coming from them…" he turned his attention to the cloud of puce green currently floating right in front of him. For a second, he could've sworn he saw a pair of eyes in this cloud. They were small and pig- like, but carried a sense of a man in deep conflict with himself.

_"… You know what this means, don't you?"_ Mima asked. Sol didn't answer her as he was too busy staring at the cloud that had still not made a move towards him or otherwise.

Suddenly, the air was filled with song.

_"ARISE, ECLIPSE! LAST OF THE GUARDIANS!"_

That was when the pain truly reached untold heights. It exploded from that one spot in his chest rushing through his body and setting his blood on fire. Crying out like a wounded animal, Sol fell to his knees and clutched his chest, his vision fading in and out. He could hear Xavier cry out for him, the jitters of the Subspace Army as they observed this strange turn of events. But then he was blind, blind to everything but his own pain, death to all but his own screams…

_"Please, calm down!"_ Mima shouted. Her voice was fading as well, as if she was worlds away. _"You've never freaked out **this** much before!"_ now she sounded like she was crying._ Ecl-"_

Connection terminated.

Now Sol was all alone in this world of darkness. There was naught but pain and fear. Was this how he was to die? An unknown man in an unknown land?

Was he to die a liar?

_"I know how you feel…"_ a voice whispered in the darkest crevice of his mind. This voice was nothing like the one that had cackled only a few minutes before. This voice was also nothing like the strong, powerful one that had spoken to him only seconds before this pain.

The voice was that of a spider. It was laced with a false sugary sweetness that would be used to draw unwitting little bugs to its web. It was powerful, sure, and ancient as well. But there was just something about this voice that caused Sol's blood to run cold. The voice lacked music, a sense of direction. There was no heart nor soul in it and sweet though it was, it struck fear in his heart all at once.

It was the voice of evil.

_"This pain… I was forced to endure, forced to bear this pain just like you… that stupid old hand… he didn't understand a thing. He claimed that this pain was good, that it would grant me great power…"_ the spider's voice continued. _"This pain… it is what drove me mad… it is what caused me to kill all the ones I loved… it is what made those remaining drive me out of the place I had always called home… he says that I am… that **we** are tainted, but what he doesn't see is that it is **he** that is tainted!_

"Wh-wh-who-" Sol gasped as another bolt of pain surged through him. "Wh-who are y-you…?"

_"They call me the Subspace Lord…"_ the voice answered. _"The Bane of Light… I am Tabuu."_

Sol gritted his teeth. "You! G-Get the Hell out of my head!"

_"You interest me, young one…"_ the Subspace Lord hissed. _"You interest me quite a lot… after all… it is the broken shard of my wing, is it not, currently ebbed in your chest…?"_

"Argh…" Sol clutched at the shard. "Y-You claim… you claim great power… comes with no pain… and yet… it is _your_ power that's causing this now…"

_"It is not mine, but the hand,"_ Tabuu countered, his voice just bordering anger. _"It is the hand who you should be angry with. My shard reacts to the power of the hand… the dark power of Subspace recoils from that of the Smashers. Master Hand may have claimed you as the last guardian, but it is through my power that you were able to live through having that shard within you! We are like twin stars, you and I… Join me… join me and together we shall exterminate the guardians once and for all!"_

"Never! You may claim that your power is keeping me alive, but I refuse to be in your debt! I'm joining the guardians… I'm going to help them vanquish _you_ once and for all!" Sol cried out in pain and huddled into a ball, his body shaking with fear. "I'm nothing… nothing like you…"

_"You… are a fool…"_ Tabuu whispered angrily. _"You are nothing more than a fool… you claim to be nothing like me? Ha! Do not think that I don't remember that day, child! Being in your mind… for just the briefest time, I am able to see your memories… I can make **you** see your memories!"_

Sol let out a cry of rage. "GET OUT!" he could feel his world spinning. He watched with widened eyes as the black void around him shimmered and waved. The faint forms of houses and streets began to appear in front of him. These surroundings were so familiar, so dear to him that it caused him even more pain than any mere throbbing in his chest to see them again.

_"You claim that you wish nothing more but to help the guardians…"_ Tabuu growled. _"But how can you possibly help them if you are so cowardly…?Out of pure cowardice and selfishness, you lied! You lied to another guardian about your own name! How can you stay true to the guardians when you can't even stay true to yourself!"_

"G-Get out…" Sol hissed, tears starting to form in his eyes as a starry sky filled the soaring ceiling above him. "G-Get out…"

_"… As you wish… Eclipse…"_

_

* * *

_

**(flashback)**

_"Eclipse, aren't you coming in?"_ _the little boy asked. He stared up at the older boy with wide, innocent eyes. There was a sort of pleading quality in them, a quality that would unfortunately be lost in the years to come._

_Eclipse couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I'll head inside in a bit… I just… I just kinda want to be alone right now, alright?"_

_The boy shrugged. "Okay!" he skipped back into the house._

_Eclipse sighed and sat down, shivering slightly as a cold breeze blew past him. It was another day, another predicted meteor shower. Those things had been said to be falling across the skies of Gensokyo for months already. But all of those times, the predictions had been proved wrong. Though many now simply ignored the ramblings of the local stargazer, Eclipse still stayed outside for a bit each night in hopes that he would one day see a shooting star._

_He could really use a wish right now._

_The thing was, he was wise and he knew it. He had known it for quite a while now. But with this wisdom came his own insanity. Though he did his best not to show it, it was quite evident that the more he slaughtered something- mostly animals for food- the louder and more sadistic his cackle. In fact, he knew everything about the differences between life and death and it was all through slaughtering the animals he needed for food._

_What he would wish for would change his life forever._

_Eclipse looked up at the sky, his eyes scanning for a streak of light of any kind. For a moment, he thought he saw something and started forward excitedly. Unfortunately, it was nothing more than a particularly bright start twinkling at him from the distance. Sighing in disappointment, he turned around and started to head back into the house._

_Suddenly, he felt a tingling on the back of his neck. This was soon followed by a great gust of warm wind, then a strange kind of heat that seemed to radiate from nowhere. He could suddenly feel the air all around him seem to waver and bend, the scent of the wind passing through suddenly smelled all the more sweeter. _

_His heart hammering in excitement, Eclipse turned around. A streak of light was flying through the skies. It lit up the world, baking it in a pure white glow. As it hurled closer to the earth, Eclipse opened his mouth to make his wish._

_But then he closed it. The streak of light was coming too fast. In fact, it seemed to grow in size with every passing second. Slowly, he could make out the sharp point of something protruding from the shooting star. It was so… so… **shard- like.** _

_By now he realized that it wasn't the strange star that was growing. It was hurtling towards earth at a frightening speed, nearly burning the plant- life underneath. As he continued to watch the star growing larger and larger, something finally dawned on him…_

_The star was hurtling towards **him**._

_Eclipse backed up and tried to run, tried to escape from the oncoming menace. But he was too late. The thing slammed into his chest, sending a surge of power and pain all through his body. He tried to cry out, but he had no voice to do so._

_Was he dying…?_

_The next thing he knew, all was black._

_

* * *

_

_"Mom, is he going to be alright…?"_

_"I don't know… this thing's buried pretty deeply in him… if we try to move it, we might actually kill him…"_

_"But he looks like a weirdo with that thing!" the voice protested. "Mom, you have to be able to do something! You can do **anything**!"_

_"Quiet, child… you're going to wake him up… and the poor thing's in enough pain already…"_

_"Ugh…" Eclipse slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he was aware of was that there was a great ache in his chest. He tried to sit up, but a huge weight fell upon him, pinning him to the sheets. "W-Wha…?"_

_"You're awake!" the voice was motherly, kind. "Oh, you poor thing! It's amazing you were able to survive such an impact! Why, a hit like that would **destroy** anyone else! You are one lucky kid!"_

_Eclipse sharply breathed in, another jolt of pain going through him. The thing on his chest- he could feel it- was pulsing. There was some kind of malicious power surrounding it. A power so horrid and potent that it was a wonder he was still alive._

_And more or less sane._

_"What… where… huh…?"_

_The woman clucked her tongue in response. "Now, child… you'll need some food, that's what you need… stay here and try not to move about too much while I go hustle up some soup, alright?" with that, she shuffled out, taking the little boy with her. The kid was staring curiously at Eclipse's chest, a mixture of fear and fascination etched all over his face._

_Once the two were gone, Eclipse threw off his covers and quickly checked his chest. It was easy to see the thing sticking out of his chest. It had burnt a hole in his shirt, scorching the skin all around it until it looked black and dead. A strange substance- sort of like blood- poured out from all sides of the wound. However, unlike blood, this substance wasn't red…_

_It was black as night._

_Eclipse was horrified. Never in his life had he seen such a substance. When he touched it, he felt a strange tingling sensation go through him. It wasn't at all painful, but it wasn't a very nice feeling either. For a moment, Eclipse wondered if he was going mad. _

_Whatever it was clung to his finger, almost affectionately. When he tried to brush it off, it only returned to the small ring pooling around the shard in his chest. Eclipse groaned in pain as he tried to get up, trying to ignore the tingling feeling that was radiating from the ring._

_The shard itself was quite remarkable. It was an extremely large thing compared to the size of Eclipse's chest. It was amazing that he was still alive after the impact of such a thing. It pulsed with power and malice, seeming to taunt him as he continued to stare at it. _

_"Just… just what the Hell are you…?" he whispered._

_For a moment, he could've sworn that the pulsing thing laughed at him…_

**(end flashback)**

**

* * *

**

"So lemme get this straight… you dumped sugar in Aly's plane because she stole _your_ coin?" Eric asked in disbelief.

_"Damn right!"_ Mars replied. _"NO ONE touches the coin!"_

_"Sounds like someone is a bet obsessed with his coin,"_ Kai chuckled. _"Tell me, Mars, are you aiming to become the next Two Face?"_

_"… Maaaaaybeeee…"_

"You're both insane," Eric said, rolling his eyes. "Anyways, Mars, not only is Aly going to be _pissed_ as soon as she figures out who did it, but _I'm_ going to be the one that's getting the blame either way!"

_"That's the point!"_ Mars retorted, laughing.

Eric slammed his radio down, cutting of his communication with the other pilot for the time being. They had been in the air for about an hour already and most of it had been taking up with Mars bragging to him about how he dumped sugar into Aly's gas tank. As if it didn't take him long enough to have to redo the paint job on Mars' plane every second of the day…

Today in his plane, he had chosen Kai and Chester to come along. Crystal and Sakura, meanwhile, were in Mars' plane. The two were currently having a long conversation about who knows what. Eric had been too busy arguing with Mars to really pay attention to them.

"So… you're saying that…" Chester visibly paled in fear.

Kai nodded. _"There is going to be more death… I can sense it…"_ he gripped the staff he was holding tighter, the aura from his hands slowly engulfing its shaft. _"The brighter the aura on my hands glow… it's as if it's telling me the more deaths there are going to be…I cannot say exactly how much, but…"_ he held up a hand, showing the almost blinding blue flames upon it. _"I can tell you that there is going to be a lot…"_ he hesitated for a moment. _"And… and I am afraid that it is very, very possible that these deaths will be the ones of guardians…"_

Eric stiffened in fear. That was the one sentence that he dreaded ever since he discovered what he was. Lucario himself had told him that though the guardians were all powerful in their own right, Tabuu would always be one step ahead of them. Master Hand had told them that there was going to be death- a lot of it- but he didn't know if it would be guardian, Primid, or slave.

_"Eric, you're driving at least three degrees off course,"_ Lucario said quietly. Eric fumbled a bit with the wheel, but managed to get his Wolfen back on track. The Aura Pokemon could sense how his guardian felt, but alas could do nothing to ease the pain. It was truly a tough thing to go through, knowing that you were doing all of this to try to liberate the world, but was probably going to die anyways. Lucario couldn't help but pity him.

_"Eric… I know you're worried…"_ Lucario whispered. _"But you must take heart… if you and I were to both fall on the battlefield, our sacrifice would be for the greater good…"_

Eric gripped the wheel harder. "… I know… it's just that… well, I'm kind of…"

_"Afraid of death?"_ Kai asked, looking over his shoulder. Chester stared at Eric curiously.

Eric swallowed. "Uh… sorta…?" like many of the guardians, he was actually pretty reluctant to admit he was afraid of anything.

Kai chuckled. _"Ah… humans… they all say they're not when they really are…"_

Chester smiled uneasily at Eric. "If it makes you feel any better, I can tell you firsthand that death isn't too bad…"

"Chester, you've also been mistaken for someone straight out of Left4Dead," Eric pointed out. "Frankly, I'd prefer it if Aly _didn't_ mistake me for a zombie 24/7."

Chester looked offended. "Excuuuuuuse me, Princess!"

_"Cimar would find that offensive!"_ Kai laughed. _"And maybe Rinku would as well…"_

_"Eric, Kai, do either of you sense anything yet?"_ Mars asked impatiently. _"I'm getting bored here!"_

The two guardians did a quick scan of the sweeping landscape below them. There was nothing to be found. They reported this negativity to Mars.

Mars groaned. _"This is going to be one long day…"_

"Oh, relax!" Eric rolled his eyes. "We're heading back to Base about five anyways."

_"Whatever…"_ Mars muttered before he cut the connection.

Chester raised an eyebrow at this exchanged. "Wow… the way you two can just tell if there's a guardian or not down there…" he shrugged. "Kinda makes me feel… obsolete…"

"Sorry about that, Chester," Eric apologized, still just a bit irritated at the thought of all the work he would have to do later. "Mars and I… well, let's just say we go way back…"

Kai and Chester both raised an eyebrow. It was easy to see that their curiosity was sparked. Eric looked at them and shook his head.

"Well… that and if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be sitting in this plane right now, but moving on to another subject-"

_"Aly told me that you guys weren't really aware of the situation here in Smashville until you actually chose to visit…"_ Kai mused. _"Care to explain?"_

"Er…" Eric shifted uneasily in his seat. "Well… there isn't really much to tell…"

"Well, tell anyways," Chester said, sitting back. "It would make this trip a _lot_ more fun…" truth be told, Eric could tell that he was feeling kind of useless since he was the only one of the Wolfen that did not possess the ability to read anyone's aura.

Eric took a deep breath, smiling slightly as the memories passed in front of his eyes. "Well, where do I start…? Hm… back when Tabuu was just about to take over Smashville, some of the… non Smashers living back then weren't all that bright. Thing was, they relied _way_ too much on the Smashers for protection, so they thought that the Smashers would be able to defeat Tabuu like they did in the first Subspace War…"

"But they were wrong…" Chester said. For some strange reason, his voice was just bordering the edge of bitterness. "When the Smashers were unable to defeat Tabuu, Smashville wasn't the only world affected…" for a moment, his bone arm clenched into a fist and shook. "Other places… places like my hometown… the wrong people gained power… those that could've saved us either disappeared or were executed…" his fist unclenched and he took a deep breath. "S-Sorry… bad memories…"

Eric raised an eyebrow. "… Are you alright, Chester…?"

Chester put on a smile that never quite reached his eyes. "I'm fine, really! Never better!"

Reluctant though he was to let this matter rest, Eric continued with his story. "So there were those in Smashville who were realistic enough to know that if there were some Smashers rumored to be disappearing, this was not going to turn out well. It's not known how they did it, but… they were able to somehow either build a ship or get their hands on one and escaped. They were the first non Smasher pilots in Smashville…" Eric paused for a moment to make sure that he was still on course. He had been so distracted in his story that he almost allowed his Wolfen to dip too low. The belly was currently skimming the trees.

_"So those people... your ancestors… escaped. Where did they go? If __Chester__ is correct in saying that pretty much **all** of the other worlds were affected by the Subspace takeover, where were they able to go during all of this?"_

Eric smiled sadly. "Where else could they go? They were forced to run off to a deserted planet some of the astronomers knew of…it took a long while, but eventually, they were able to erect a sort of city. Up there, they trained younger generations to be pilots _so_ that they could one day head back down to Smashville..." his tone turned sad for a moment. "I kinda wonder how everyone's doing up there… I mean, it's been a while since we three were sent out to investigate the happenings over here…" the corners of his mouth twitched. "It'd be a nice shock to them to find out that we're not dead…"

"I'm _still_ shocked that none of us are dead yet," Chester mused. "I mean… I freaking unleashed everything I had on that stupid monkey…"

Kai nodded in understanding. _"Yes… well, I suppose that's what Master Hand means when he said that we were 'chosen' for this role in life…"_ he looked at Eric. _"So you were assigned to a group with Aly and Mars?"_

Eric laughed. "Yeah, pretty much. I've really been with them ever since I tried out for a pilot's license. Those two may have their faults, but they are _geniuses_ at flying. Anyways, yeah… we were pretty much forced to be on the same team for our missions… we didn't get along well- we still don't- but… after a while, I can't really say if it'd be the same without them…" he shrugged. "Who knows… it might just be some kind of weird phase I'm going through…"

_"… Sounds like you led a pretty good life…"_ Kai sighed. _"Something that I haven't really… really been able to do…"_

Chester nodded in agreement. "This war… it's been affecting pretty much every world that's ever had a connection to it… I mean, even Halloween Town's been affected…" his tone was bitter again. "Jack… poor Jack…"

Kai looked over at him. _"__Chester__…"_

Chester shook his head, scowling slightly as if he was trying to push memories away. "Nothing…" for a moment, Eric sensed his aura pulse slightly with fear and… anger? "It's absolutely nothing…"

_"Eric, you idiot!"_ Mars' voice crackled over the radio again, sounding angry. _"HOW CAN YOU AND KAI NOT NOTICE WHAT'S BENEATH US?"_

Eric jumped in his seat and grabbed the radio. "What are you talking about, Mars?"

_"What are you, blind?"_ Mars demanded. _"Look down below us, Sherlock!"_

Eric looked…

And immediately dropped his radio.

Below him, the sprawling landscape had gone from the tall trees of the Smashville forest to the wastelands just outside of them. In their search for guardians today, Mars and Eric had chosen to see what they could find in the areas beyond the remnants of what was once Smashville.

And this was what they had found.

"Oh… my… God…" Eric shook in fear and disgust. "Tabuu… he's done _all_ of this…?"

_"We're going to have one Hell of a report to give to those guys when we get back…"_ Mars murmured darkly. Out of the corner of his eye, Eric could see his Sky Claw undulate slightly in the wind. The shining blue paint on it seemed to lack luster here as well, as if the air itself was causing it to wear away.

There was definitely something up with this place.

"Do you see anything?" he heard Chester ask. His voice was a mixture of excitement and fear.

Eric closed his eyes and concentrated on Lucario's powers. He and the Aura Pokemon had been training for a bit lately and thus far, he was able to focus and utilize his aura sensing powers for a short period of time. Currently, he could tell that Lucario was extremely troubled, but the Pokemon was still searching the ground for some sort of life force.

He was truly horrified at what he saw. Under normal circumstances, the earth below him would be brimming with different colored flames, each signaling a person's unique aura. Lucario had explained this to him and he had seen such flames back when they were flying over the forest. It was a truly beautiful sight to behold.

But this was nothing…

No matter where he looked, he could not pinpoint a single flare of aura. There were occasions when he saw little pin pricks here and there, but those quickly faded. It was as if the life of the earth itself had seeped away at the hands of Tabuu.

"… This is where he first started attacking, you know…" Chester muttered suddenly, snapping Eric out of his trance. "Back when Mario and the others were first sent out… this is where they fell…"

Eric gawked at him and almost lost control of the ship. "How do you know this?"

Chester sighed and looked at him. "… Let's just say… you learn a lot when you've been living forever…" he sighed. "I… I don't really wanna talk about it right now…"

_"Hey Eric, are you still alive over there?"_ Mars asked. _"Or did my epicness give you a heart attack?"_

Eric sighed and picked up the radio. "I'm here, Mars. What is it?"

_"My sensors are picking up some pretty heavy Shadow Bug activity nearby. Whatever's happening has those bugs in one heck of an excitement."_

Eric bit his lip. He then started flipping switches while still talking into his radio. "Set a course for where those bugs are, then. It's possible that someone _might_ be in trouble over there…"

_"Knowing our luck, someone **is**," _Mars muttered. _"Anyways, Mars out."_

This was when Lucario snapped out of his own trance. _"Eric, from your frantic moving, I take it that you've found a lead on a guardian?"_

Eric bit his lip. "We can only hope, Lucario… we can only hope…"

* * *

"I see them!" Sakura shouted as Mars Sky Claw zoomed over what looked like a field of purple blobs. "STOP THE PLANE!"

She waited until Mars slammed onto the brakes before wrenching the sky roof open. She had been edgy ever since she boarded this ship, mostly due to the fact that her memories had been awakened just from sitting in this thing. Peach had seen only tiny fragments of them, but Sakura could tell that they were enough to get the princess wondering.

_"So... you're really from Smashville?"_ Peach asked as Sakura made sure that where she was landing would be safe.

Sakura bit her lip in response. "… Yes… I was sent out by my father to find and try to bring you guys back to the right side…" her face was lined with misery as she jumped down. "… I suppose… I suppose I should've researched properly what happened to you guys…"

The Primids below her looked up as she descended, the few of them that still had guns opening fire on her. Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out a familiar object, the thing that served as both a weapon and a means to safely land for the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach's pink umbrella unfurled above her and it was using this that Sakura was able to control her landing and dodge the oncoming blasts.

Not long after she jumped, Sakura heard Crystal jump as well. The girl's chains whirled through the air as she landed, taking out a whole hoard of Primids with them. Sakura herself was able to utilize her marshal arts skills to defeat her foes.

But still, the kept rushing at her.

_"We need to reach those poor guys in the middle of this mess!"_ Peach shouted at her as Sakura pulled a frying pan out of nowhere and sent it hurtling right into a crowd of Primids. The deadly coking implement carved a path through the Subspace Army towards the middle, where Sakura and Peach both knew that the two young men the Primids were surrounding were fighting their hardest.

Sakura leaped up and kicked a few Primids around the head before picking up the gun of one and firing. Unfortunately, this gun was built for the arms of a Primid, not a human. This gun soon became too hard for her to use, so it became a bludgeon weapon instead.

Suddenly, the Super Sheet flared out from where the two were. The one holding the sheet swept it all around him in a circle, hitting the Primids that were quickly closing in. Meanwhile, the guy in the goat was batting the Primids with what looked like a long sword of some sort. It was extremely thin and light, but by the looks of things, was hard as a rock. It sliced easily through the Subspace denizens like they were paper and its tip was simply covered in dead and dying Shadow Bugs.

"HYAH!" Sakura swung her new weapon around and took out a few Primids that were about to sneak up on her. At the same time, the young man with the Super Sheet swung it outwards and caught a few more in its deadly grasp. Just as quickly, the guy in the coat sliced up those Primids that surrounded him before quickly leaping back to his stance. By this time, the combined efforts of the other guardians had taken out about 1/3 of the army.

But that still left another 2/3 to wipe them out…

"Excuse me, but who are you?" the guy with the Super Sheet demanded as he swept it all over the surrounding army.

Sakura smiled at him. "I'm Sakura Smash, Guardian of Princess Peach. Don't panic, we're here to try to help you…" she grabbed an oncoming Primid in a headlock and kicked it to its comrades, who scattered upon sight of him.

The boy looked surprise. "Your last name's Smash? As in-"

"Uh guys? Less talk, more stabbing Primids?" the guy with the sword demanded.

The other young man scowled. "Whatever you say then, _Sol_…" he nodded at Sakura. "I'm Xavier, by the way… nice to meet you…" he swung his Super Sheet again before proceeding to throw giant pills.

For a moment, Sakura could've sworn that the cloaked guy- Sol- gripped his sword tighter. Something flashed across his yellow eyes, a mixture of anger and remorse. Like Peach, she was a kind soul and was tempted to ask Sol what was wrong. But there was just something about the look he gave her that set her off and instead, she simply dropped the gun and proceeded to throw turnips at the oncoming hoard.

_"Sakura, we won't be able to last much longer!"_ Peach cried. _"Your energy store's depleting pretty fast!"_ the princess covered her mouth in worry. _"I don't want you to get yourself hurt…"_

"Peach, getting hurt's part of the guardian job description," Sakura answered as she roundhouse kicked a Primid to the floor.

Peach bit her lip. _"Sakura… just don't exhaust yourself…"_ she wrung her hands. _"I've watched Mario go on without me, but I'm worried for him too… but if you get hurt, then he'll start worrying about us and then this whole mess will become nothing but people worrying about others…"_

For a moment, Sakura faltered. A couple of Primids managed to sneak some punches to her stomach. But then, Xavier rushed in with his Super Sheet and took them all out. As his pills flew through the air, Sakura took a deep breath and allowed her body to fall into a natural flow and rhythm as more and more Primids fell at her fists.

But all the while, a memory was the only thing that she could see.

* * *

**(flashback)**

_The little girl kneeled down at the grave, placing flowers upon the tiny patch of grass in front of it. Despite the horrible times for humans, she bore the look of one who was raised well. Though it was true that she was thin and colorless, as all of the other slaves were, there was just that tiny spark of color in her eyes that truly set her apart from the others._

_The little white daisies she had placed on the grave fluttered gently at her in the breeze. Such a plant was rare these days, which was a surprise since they were said to once be abundant all over Smashville. But it was these precious flowers that her father had said were her mother's favorite, so the girl had spent the entire year carefully searching the fields and meadows in what little free time she had just to find the tiny bundle she had now._

_A tall man placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sakura, it's time to go…"_ _he smiled sadly at her. "Break time is over…"_

_"Okay, Papa," Sakura replied. "… Can I just say goodbye to Mama?"_

_Her father looked over his shoulder nervously for a moment. When he saw that there was no one around, he turned back to the girl and nodded._

_"… Alright…"_

**(end flashback)  


* * *

**

Sol was in pain.

Just about anyone could tell that.

Sakura snapped out of her trance at the moment his scream of pain cut through her consciousness. The memory of her past was nothing to her now that she could see that there was someone in obvious pain. Giving the Primids she was facing one last kick, she rushed over to Sol and left Xavier and the rest deal with what remained of the Subspace denizens. By this time, the Autolances had stopped trying to attack the ships that were flying through the air and were now on their way to attacking the young humans that had fallen out of them.

"Sol, are you alright?" Sakura asked as she knelt down next to him. Sol was doubled over and clutching his stomach, moaning in pain with every breath.

Also, he smelled bad.

Like garlic…

Sol's breathing was coming out in tiny, garlic smelling pants. "M-My… M-My name… i-is… not… S-Sol…." that came out as nothing more than a mere whisper. Sakura had to strain her ears to hear it.

"… Your name… isn't Sol…?" she asked. She tried her best not to recoil from the stench of garlic that was currently wafting off of him.

"M-My name… is… Eclipse…" he managed to breathe. "S-Sorry… S-Sorry I l-lied…"

Sakura bit her lip. "Well… I don't really mind that you lied… but-"

"X-Xavier…?" Eclipse choked. "T-Tell him… sorry…"

Sakura checked him. There didn't seem to be any wounds on him, except the light one on his arm. However, this one was pretty well bandaged and wasn't bleeding at all. Whatever was happening to Eclipse seemed to be coming from inside of him. Thing was, she didn't know surgery.

"Eclipse, calm down… we have some healers back at Base…" Sakura whispered. "Just hold on…"

"Sakura…" Eclipse grabbed onto her. "I… won't make it…" his hand was simply covered in sweat and a strange film seemed to cover his glowing yellow eyes.

Sakura could feel them boring into her, as if he was looking right at her soul. There was a strange kind of emotion in those eyes, something that was in between madness and pure insanity. It sent shivers down her spine to see such a thing behind his eyes and it wasn't long before she noticed that he was breathing very, _very_ heavily.

"I-I can f-feel it…" Eclipse whispered. "I-It's bubbling… it's bubbling up in me…" his breath smelled even worse now. "I can't control it… soon… it'll happen… everything… everything will be gone…"

"Hold on!" Sakura shook him. "Just hold on!" she looked up towards the sky, where Eric and Mars were both battling with the flying Subspace enemies. Sakura was tempted to bolt when she saw the ghost-like enemies among them, but she held her ground. Eclipse's skin had turned red hot and it was a struggle for her to even keep a grip on him. "ERIC! MARS! HELP!"

Her cries were lost to the battle. The more the Primids screeched their dying screeches, the louder it became. If there was ever a word to describe the screams of the Primids and the shouts of the guardians as they fought desperately to stay alive, it was chaotic.

And here she was in the middle of all of it.

Eclipse groaned in pain. "I… can't… hold… back…"

Sakura shook him. "What's wrong, Eclipse? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"The pressure…" Eclipse whispered, his voice cracking with fear. "it's building up in me… the walls of my very stomach are contracting… I feel as if my skin is going to be ripped right off of me… but at the same time, I feel as if I'm being crushed under a rock… pressure building… I feel so… so… hot…"

Eclipse was vibrating like a leaf in a storm. There was _definitely_ something inside him that was causing this, but it was impossible for Sakura to discern what. Something told her that if she valued whatever small shreds of sanity she had left, she should step away. But he was in trouble…

Eclipse shook even harder now. "G-Get away… g-get away…"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but she closed it upon seeing Eclipse's glare. Once again, she could see the two worlds of madness and insanity seem to bridge together behind those eyes, sending a shiver of fear down her spine. She stepped back, her face lined with fear.

She watched helplessly as Eclipse got down on the ground and curled into a little ball, totally at the mercy of the Primids. She could just imagine him frothing at the mouth, his yellow eyes glowing even brighter than before. For a moment, she was tempted to take a step closer, but…

_BOOM!_

* * *

Mushroom cloud.

Chester smiled slightly at the memory of it.

It was a huge mushroom cloud, puce green against the bleak gray sky and smelling horribly of hundred year old beans.

And he was one of the ones that just barely escaped it.

At this moment in time, all he wanted was some breathing room. Sakura and those that had been close to Eclipse when the mushroom cloud appeared were forced to all go take a shower. Chester wasn't surprised that he could _still_ hear the water running even now. It had been a few hours already…

It really didn't take long for anyone to figure out whose guardian Eclipse was. For one thing, he _smelled_ like Wario. For another, that mushroom cloud fart said everything.

The Last of the Guardians was here.

_"__Chester__, shouldn't you go inside?"_ Pichu asked. _"It's scary out here…"_

Truth be told, to any other person, it was. The moon had long ago sunk beneath the clouds, shielding its gentle silvery glow from the earth. As a result, the shadows of the trees seemed longer and their branches were like bony fingers reaching out in the gloom. The wind seemed to howl all around him like a ghost, singing a mournful song of untold misery. The air all around him seemed to open up into a deep dark void and even the sounds of the rolling pebbles in the wind sounded like clattering bones in the graveyard.

To Chester, that was his home.

"I grew up around these sounds, Pichu," Chester murmured sadly. "To me… it's home…"

_"You grew up in scariness?"_ Pichu asked in disbelief. His guardian chuckled at his innocence.

"Well, yes, yes I did," Chester replied. "I grew up in Halloween Town… while it was still under the rule of Jack Skellington… a century ago…" his tone was laced with sadness.

_"You're… you're a hundred years old?"_ the little Pokemon trembled in fear. The oldest Pokemon he knew of was only about eighty last time he checked. It was an old Metapod in the Viridian Forest that never truly evolved…

"Yes… I'm a hundred years, give or take…" Chester muttered, staring out into the world. "I… I've seen an awful lot… heard an awful lot… sometimes, I kind of wonder if I've seen and heard _too_ much…"

_"What do you mean, __Chester__…?"_

Chester sighed. "I-" he jumped. "What was that?"

Pichu jumped as well. _"What was what? Is there a monster attacking?"_ he started crying. _"I don't wanna get eaten by a monster!"_

Chester froze for a moment, straining his ears for a sound. For just that moment, he could've sworn that he saw something… or some_one_ move about. He was so _sure_ he had seen the silvery flash of a long sword and heard the pattering of feet. But no matter how hard he stained, he was unable to pick up a thing.

"… Spark…" he muttered, wincing as pain shot through his palm. He had taken this risk of lighting up a small bit of electricity in his palm so that he could have a little more light with which to look around. But even with this little spark in his hand, he could barely see five feet in front of him.

And still, he couldn't see or hear a thing.

_"__Chester__… let's go inside… I'm scared…"_

Chester could almost feel Pichu shaking in his head, but he didn't move. "Pichu… there's someone out here… sh…" he crouched even lower to the ground and strained his ears all the more harder.

For a moment, all he could hear was the mournful howling of the wind. But when he strained past it, he heard something else. It was very light, very shallow. But at the same time, it was rhythmic as well. It was very even and very rhythmic, so much, in fact, that it could only be one thing.

Someone was breathing.

Chester clenched his fist, his breath catching slightly as the electricity he was generating shot pain throughout his body. He knew he only had one shot at this. By the sound of things, that person was _fast_. All he needed to do was take careful aim at where the breathing was coming from, and…

"CHESTER!"

"AH!" Chester released the bolt of energy into the sky, lighting up the area for a moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something dark disappear into a nearby bush, but it was so fast that it could've been a trick of light.

Sam was standing in front of him. "Chester, Master Hand says that he wants all of the guardians in the meeting room right away! He said he's got things to give us!"

Chester's chest heaved up and down. "Geez, Sam! You nearly… you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Sam grinned. "Sorry…" he pointed to the base. "Anyways, go ahead and go in. I have to look for a few more people."

Chester nodded shakily. "I-I'll do that…" he turned around to go in.

"Oh yeah, Chester?" Sam asked. Chester paused for a moment to look at his fellow guardian. "… You haven't… you haven't seen Joe, Cam, Chi, or Drake have you…?"

Chester shook his head. "Sorry, Sam…" he shrugged. "Have you checked the Arwings?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah… frankly, I can't find them anywhere…"

Chester frowned. "… You… you can't…?" for a moment, he wondered if the breathing he had heard earlier was truly Sam's.

Sam shook his head. "No… it's like-"

"Hey, are you two going in anytime soon?" a voice behind them asked. Chester turned around to find himself face to face with Psyche. "Master Hand's getting _pretty_ impatient!"

Sam laughed. "Sorry, Psy. I have to go round up some more guardians…"

Chester nodded. "Yeah, I'm coming in. Sorry to keep you guys waiting…"

The girl shook her head. "No worries. But come on!"

Chester started walking in, hesitating for a bit just before entering the base. The thought of hearing someone breathing in the middle of the night, whether it was Sam's or someone else's, unnerved him. He was typically used to unusual happenings, since he grew up in Halloween Town, but that was abnormal, even for this world.

There was definitely something up.

"Ah, Chester," Master Hand greeted as he entered. "Welcome. Please, have a seat…"

Chester took the seat nearest to the door where he could keep a careful eye on the world outside. He noticed that most of the guardians were already here, with the exception of the few Sam had stated as well as JB and for some very strange reason, Green. Green was almost never late to _anything_. He was glad to see that Sakura and the ones caught in the giant fart by Eclipse had showered and smelled a lot better now. Eclipse himself had refused to take off his coat and hat and thus was standing towards the back of the ground, yellow eyes glowing menacingly from the shadows.

Master Hand's gaze swept over the empty chairs. "… That tranquilizer we used on my brother isn't going to last much longer… how many guardians are _still_ missing?"

Heather, who was sitting in between Psyche and Teal counted. "Six, Master Hand. Seven if you count Sam." Chester noticed that there seemed something… off about her expression. It was as if she had sensed what he thought he sensed earlier…

"Ah well," Master Hand spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I suppose we'll have to make due without them. If any of you see them sometime later, kindly tell them what they missed and ask them to come see me as soon as possible."

The small rabble of the guardians talking amongst themselves quieted at this. Every single one of them leaned forward to listen. Even Eclipse, who had made a point to keep himself away from the group sat up straighter. Chester stared curiously at Master Hand, but his gaze was immediately diverted by a sharp movement in the corner of his eye. A chill ran down his spine as he whirled and faced the door.

There was nothing.

Chester blinked in confusion, wondering what in the world could've caused such alarm in him. Though he turned back to listen to Master Hand speak, there was something in his gut that told him something was not right. By the movements of the other guardians, only the older ones such as Heather, Sakura, and Cimar seemed about as antsy as he was.

Master Hand cleared his "throat". "Now guardians, as you know, after so much time, we finally have all of you here in one place. In celebration of this, I believe it is time for you all to know what is to happen when the final battle comes…"

The air in the room changed from interest to fear. There was a stirring among the younger guardians as they realized just how far they had come. They had gone on many adventures, risking life and limb to protect themselves and their loved ones. And now this was it, the moment when they knew it was either life or death. Chester leaned forward expectantly, his adrenaline pumping in excitement.

Wait a minute… Was that the silver flash from earlier at the window…?

Master Hand took a deep breath. "Guardians, as you know, the final battle approaches swiftly. How soon it shall come, I do not know. But what I do know is that as soon as Tabuu gets wind of Eclipse being here. So as a precaution, I shall give you these now…" Master Hand snapped his fingers. A large crate appeared in front of him.

The crate itself was uninteresting in looks, being one of the simple ones the Smashers once used to throw at each other during matches. However, it was what seemed to be inside the crate that sparked everyone's interest. The crate was vibrating quite fast, as if the thing locked inside was trying desperately to break out. What was more, the crate was glowing brighter than anything anyone had ever seen. The sheer power that radiated from this crate awed every person in the room.

Eventually, Master Hand opened the crate and removed its contents one by one. They all looked exactly like the shards that a few of them had carried around with them for so long with but one exception.

They were large spheres.

There were 40 of them in all, one for each guardian. Each of them, though not nearly as large nor as powerful as the Smashball that had appeared to them the day when they finally entered Mount Smash, pulsed with a power and energy none of them had felt in a long time. From the moment each guardian was handed their Smashball, a strange feeling that was almost like hope settled within them.

"Guardians… these Smashballs can only be used once," Master Hand said solemnly, his voice filled with sorrow. "Forgive me, I cannot make any more. I had very little of the substance that makes them left and was only able to create just enough to make Smashballs for each of you. Even then, these are not nearly as powerful as they used to be…"

Chester held his in the palm of his hands, reveling in the glow. It was a truly beautifully made thing, a small force of pure energy in the world of corruption. But there was still something gnawing at him, something that seemed to dim the warmth of the Smashball. It was a strange feeling, especially since that though he knew he had had this feeling ever since the meeting started, he had forgotten the reason for this right when the Smashballs were unveiled.

Wait a minute…

_BAM!_

The door flew across the room, slamming into the opposite wall. It was cracked neatly in two. As it slid down, every head in the room turned towards the source.

Cam was leaning against the door frame, gasping in pain. His hair was matted beyond all belief. Blood flowed freely through large gashes on his body. Even Sigmund the Rapier was only sparkling weakly with electricity.

He looked like he had gone through Hell.

Chester was the first person up. "Cam!" he ran over and managed to grab Cam just in time to stop him from falling. "What happened to you?"

Cam was barely breathing, whatever parts of his skin that could be see through his clothes were pale as could be. "S-She came… a-attacked… o-others… t-t-taken… e-escaped… o-only… one…"

Heavy footsteps next to him. Chester looked up to see Heather, her face white as a ghost. Heather knelt down next to Cam, careful not to worsen any of his wounds on accident. Her gaze was steady, but there was a strange emotion behind her eyes that Chester couldn't make out.

"Cam…" Heather said lowly, "Cam, do you know who it was that attacked you…?"

Cam looked at her uncomprehendingly. Chester could see that the shock of what had happened to him tonight was interfering with his ability to remember. What was more, the blood he lost was also taking a toll. If they didn't have Xavier look at him quickly, he would die.

"Cam… I need to know…" Heather said quietly. "Can you tell me? Can you remember? Do you know who attacked you…?"

"… G-Gerudo… woman…" Cam managed finally. "G-Gerudo…"

Heather turned white. "… Thank you, Cam…" she stood up. "Xavier-"

"Got it," Xavier said, rushing forward. Chester saw that he already had a first aid kit in his hands. Without needing to be told, Chester set Ike's guardian down on the ground.

One look at Heather told him that nothing was right. Her face was white as a ghost and though her expression was calm, there was something that was close to anger behind that mask. Every so often, her hand would drift down to where her sword was and grasp its hilt.

"Heather…" Chester said quietly. "Heather… what did he mean…?"

Heather took a deep breath. "We need to gather a group of guardians as quickly as possible. We can't have anymore delays."

Chester nodded. "Right…" he turned around to go get them, but he hesitated for just one moment more. "… Just one question…" when Heather didn't turn on him, he continued. "… What will happen if we rescue them too late…?"

"Every single one of them will die…"


	23. The Rescue

The Rescue

**Happy early Single Awareness Day! And while I'm at it, happy early birthday to Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf (21st of February) and happy early birthday to me! (22nd of February) **

**Check out mine and Foxpilot's contest! Details on my profile and I have a story advertising it!**

**... Shameless advertising FTW!  
**

**Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, I don't own it! Blah, blah, blah...**

**WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF CHILDHOOD RAPING-NESS! NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO WISH TO THINK OF BATMAN AS AWESOME!**

**... Cookie to anyone who gets that reference up there.**

**

* * *

**

His blood froze in his veins…

His Smashball fell to the floor…

All time stopped…

A cold sweat broke out on MS' forehead as the horrible news was given. It had been only a few minutes since Cam, bloodied and weakened, had burst through the door. It had only been three since Xavier- with the help of the stronger guardians- carried him off into the makeshift infirmary. It had only been about two minutes since the guardians were finally calmed after panic broke out among them.

It had only been about ten since Green and the others were kidnapped…

"We need to form groups as quickly as possible," Master Hand called out over the many whisperings that had broken among the guardians. MS, being Mario's guardian, was brought to the front to await orders. Though he was never one to ever truly wish to be in the leader position, this was different.

His best friend had been captured.

It was _on_.

Heather, who was standing to his right, cleared her throat. "All I can really say about this enemy is that she is very, very dangerous… it is vital that the people we choose to go along with us know that they risk an untimely death."

Master Hand nodded gravelly. "Indeed, Heather… those of you who wish to go, please raise your hands. Remember that you are risking your life by going on this mission. This mission shall take you to the very core of Tabuu's evil itself… the Smash Mansion. It _will_ be crawling with Primids, you _will_ run into your Smashers' bodies while in there and it is very, very likely that many of you will not make it out alive…" his voice broke at those last few words. "You may not live to see the final battle…"

MS saw a shadow shift beside him out of the corner of his eye. Wrath, Meta Knight's guardian, pushed through the crowd and strode forward. MS felt a surge of distrust at the sight of Tabuu's foster son. After all, he _was_ raised from childhood by the Subspace Lord himself. There was no guarantee that the young boy was on their side.

_"MS… we **must** trust him,"_ Mario spoke up suddenly. MS felt a small surge of annoyance as the plumber read his thoughts. _"We don't have a choice… he **is** a guardian, after all."_

"He's also Tabuu's kid," MS hissed under his breath. "Master Hand himself said that the only reason anyone that was neither guardian nor hand could ever pass the new barrier he put up was if someone betrayed us and let them in…" his face darkened as he continued to gaze at Wrath. "And who better than Tabuu's own son to be his spy?"

_"MS, I know you don't trust him…"_ Mario murmured sadly. _"I know you are finding it hard to handle the fact that Green may die tonight… but-"_

"If that bastard," MS spat, "Really was the one that decided to let Green get kidnapped…" a burning hot fire ignited in the very back of his throat. "I'm going to fuck him up so bad that-"

_"Sh! Listen…"_

"… What holds the Smasher weapons, Master Hand," Wrath was saying. "If we are able to break into the mansion- which shouldn't be a problem if we just disable the security systems properly- then we should also have a group to go visit the armory. I know for a fact that though the weapons are all powerful in themselves, Tabuu believes they are not powerful enough. That is why he has Ike store Ragnell in there, Meta Knight store Galaxia, Link store his Gale Boomerang… he has practically all of the Smasher weapons stuck in there while they wield weapons made of Subspace…" MS noted that his voice turned grave as he continued. "Those weapons… they're powerful enough to rip your soul from your very body… they are made of exactly the same strange energy Tabuu had used long ago to deprive our Smashers of their souls… if we can just grab the original weapons… the weapons originally blessed by the gods and goddesses of the known universes… we might stand a chance…"

MS frowned at this new piece of news. Though it was well known that many of the Smashers were no longer wielding their original weapons, it was commonly thought that they had been destroyed. But if they were still here in this world… if they were still untouched…

"Aly, Eric, Mars… we'll have to use your planes as transportation," Master Hand told the three pilots. All three of them nodded before running outside to warm up their fighter jets. It was absolutely vital that all three of them were in top shape before takeoff. MS now turned his attention to Master Hand, who was picking from among the guardians who wished to go.

"Teal, since I know for a fact you would never let Heather out of your sight on a mission like this, you will go. Traca, Golfer, Wrath… you three have spent most of your lifetime growing up within the halls of the mansion. As long as you three don't try to kill each other, you may go. Ridere, Kage… you two will be needed to disable the security systems…"

"Master Hand, please let me come as well!" Nask spoke up. MS was taken aback by how set her features were. This was a strange determination that was rare among humans these days. "I can be of use!"

Master Hand hesitated. "I… I don't know, Nask… I mean, you're-"

"Let her go," MS said firmly, fixing Master Hand with a look. "She really is a great fighter and she hasn't had much exercise out in the field yet."

Master Hand sighed. "Very well, MS… Mah and Beeh, you both shall go as well… Rinku, Cimar, you two are to lead the weapons group. I want you both to make sure that at least one of you two, if not both, makes it out of there alive. I don't want Link trying to throw himself in the way of Zelda and vice versa. I had enough of that with Peach and Mario…"

Both Hylians saluted. MS felt a small pang of jealousy at the thought of them being chosen over him. After all, was he not the guardian of Mario, leader of the Smashers? Was he not the number one choice to be chosen to lead a mission?

In time, others were chosen as well. When it was finally broken down into two groups, the rescue mission led by Heather and the weapons mission led by the Hylians, the members walked out. Chosen for the weapons group were Kage, Fyre, Traca, Golfer, Nao, Crystal, and Wrath. For the rescue group, Teal, Ridere, Nask, Chester, Pikana, Mah, and Beeh had been chosen. All were chosen for some quality they possessed, whether it was knowledge of the layout of the Smash Mansion or fighting skill.

MS watched as the two groups went outside, anger burning like a bright flame in his heart. He could feel Mario shift slightly as his emotions flooded through him and this only served to anger him more. He was the guardian of _Mario_. He was to be a leader of the guardians, just like how Mario was once leader of the Smashers.

What was the point if he couldn't even lead?

"MS…"

Still seething, MS whirled and found himself face to face with the giant hand. "Yeah?" his anger had made him snappish.

Master Hand sighed sadly, as if he were able to sense MS' feelings about the chosen groups. Being the embodiment of creation, MS wouldn't have been surprised if he did. "I know you are angry… I know you want nothing more than to go help the others save Green… but MS, by allowing you to do so, I would be putting _you_ in the greatest danger imaginable, even greater danger than any of the guardians that are going right now can ever face…"

MS soon realized that his words were true and his reasons… reasonable. But the betrayal, the anger he felt at not being chosen for the rescue mission overcame his reason. He wanted to go and no one, not even a giant hand, could stop him. "Oh yeah? Well, if you cared so much, why didn't you freaking choose me, then?"

Master Hand sighed sadly. "Because, MS… you are the guardian of Mario… you are the guardian of one of the greatest Smashers and the leader of them all… by placing yourself in danger so close to the day of the final battle, you may ruin our plans if Tabuu ever gets his hands on you…"

MS felt the fire within him build to breaking point. "OH YEAH? THEN IF YOU FUCKING CARED SO MUCH, WHY DON'T YOU GO BREAK OUT THE REST OF THE GUARDIANS? WHY DON'T YOU JUST LET ME GO? WHY DON'T YOU LET MILES GO? IF THOSE OTHER GUYS CAN HANDLE THEMSELVES, THEN I CAN HANDLE MYSELF! GREEN CAN BE DYING FOR ALL I KNOW AND YOU'RE JUST MAKING ME STAND HERE AND WAIT WHILE OTHER PEOPLE GO RISK THEIR LIVES TO SAVE HIM AND THE OTHERS!"

_"__MS-__"_ Mario warned. The plumber hated to see his guardian shouting at Master Hand in this way. If Master Hand ever lost his temper- which was rare, but possible- then it would be all over for both him and MS.

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING, MARIO!" MS screamed. "IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, YOUR OWN _BROTHER_ IS IN DANGER! AND YOU'RE JUST WILLING TO TAKE THIS HAND'S SHIT AND STAY HOME?"

"MS… MS, please calm down," Master Hand whispered. "Please, calm down and hear me out!"

MS could feel the bewildered eyes of the other guardians boring into him at this point. But whether or not he cared, he didn't know. His best friend, his brother, was in danger. And here was Master Hand floating in front of him and telling him that there was no way in the world he would be allowed to save Green.

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Glancing at this hand, he recognized it as Miles'. Miles was once a knight before he had been held in the former Mushroom Kingdom's castle and broken out by a joint effort of Green and MS. Like most of the fantasy image of knights, chivalry had been everything to Miles. And frankly, it still was.

"MS…" he said quietly. "I know… I want to go save Green too… and so does Sonic… but think of who we are, MS… we're the guardians of Sonic and Mario… we're among the most powerful Smashers… if Tabuu ever finds out that we're running around in his palace, he'll stop at nothing to get us. And do you know what happens next?"

"I take a shit to save the game?" MS said hollowly. The corners of Miles' mouth twitched slightly at that.

"No… he'll torture us, MS. He'll torture us until we're nothing like our former selves. He'll torture us in so many ways worse than he is torturing Green and JB and the others right now. He's going to torture us to the point where death would be our only saving grace…"

MS still didn't understand. He wanted so badly to simply run out of there, to find his own way to the mansion to save Green. But still, something- probably Mario- held him back.

Was the whole world against him today?

"But Green…" MS whispered. "Green's done everything for us and we're just-"

This was when Mario chose to add his own part. _"MS, what would Green say if you should die by going? What would he think if you died, but never came to see him one last time? What would he say…"_ Mario took a deep breath. _"What would he say if the person that has been like a brother to him for years on end… ruined the one chance we had to defeat Tabuu once and for all…?"_

MS felt a dead weight in his stomach. "… He would… he would say…" he became aware that he had been clenching his fists the entire time. He unclenched them now. "He would say that… that if he could go back in time… if he could go back in time, he would do anything to prevent me from going…"

Master Hand and Miles smiled slightly at his words. With a snap of the giant hand's fingers, a pair of red beam katanas appeared in front of Mario's guardian. They looked well balanced and powerful, just the right size- and probably weight- for MS. For a moment, he was tempted to grab them, but Master Hand's voice stopped him.

"There katanas, MS, were given to me long ago by an old friend of mine… you might know him as your mentor," Master Hand made the katanas float closer to Mario's guardian. "He told me to give them to you when you are ready and worthy enough to receive them." MS found himself staring right at his middle finger. "Do you believe that you are ready to receive them?"

MS looked from Master Hand, to Miles' grinning face, to the katanas, then back. There were so many things he wanted to say and do that he just simply couldn't. Here were the katanas, floating there unaided, just ready for him to take. They would make him stronger, with no need to rely on Mario's fireballs and the Mario Tornado any longer. He could finally have something that Green would never have…

And yet…

"Master Hand… I'm not ready for them," MS said. Miles looked surprised while Mario cocked his eyebrow in confusion. "I know those are really nice… and I know it's an honor to get offered them… but what happened earlier… I've shown myself that I'm not ready for such powerful weapons yet… if I should ever lose my temper again and I have those things in my hands… I… I don't know what will happen…"

Master Hand smiled at him and nodded. "Well done… Guardian of Mario…"

The red katanas floated into MS' hands.

* * *

_BOOM!_

_"GOD DAMN IT, ALY!"_

Aly laughed. "Sorry, Mars! But you should've seen those coming!"

_"IT'S THE FREAKING MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! I CAN BARELY SEE MY OWN HAND IN FRONT OF MY FACE!"_

"Then blame Eric! He's the one that put the big red button where my fist can easily accidentally push it!"

_"Hey!"_

Aly chuckled and put her radio back down. It was times like these when she could finally forget about her problems. Ever since she and the two boys had been given their pilots' licenses, it had been nothing but drama, drama, _drama_!

_"Don't you think those two are… acting funny?" _ Fox as uncertainly as the plane ripped its way through the night sky. Aly took her eyes off the skyline to roll them for a moment before refocusing her attention back on the "road". They had been flying for only about ten minutes already, but to her, it had been hours.

Aly was never the type of person to be in a good mood when she was unceremoniously kicked out of bed to go to some kind of meeting. Nor was she the type of person to actually _willingly_ put her life in danger in the middle of the night to rescue a bunch of guardians. But here she was sitting in her plane, waiting for the huge black silhouette of the Smash Mansion to appear over the horizon.

Can she go back to bed now?

"They'll be fine, Fox," she said firmly as the plane shook slightly over some air turbulence. "This is a rescue mission thing, not a social party."

_"Yes,"_ Fox admitted. _"But even though this isn't really a party, those two are being… being a **lot** quieter than usual…as in yeah, they're quiet, but they don't act this way normally, and-"_

Aly rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed that her "intense concentration" was being interrupted by the vulpine. "I get it, Fox. Alright, I'll check on them, but if they're acting fine to me, there isn't anything I'm going to do about it."

_"Fine, fine…"_ Fox sighed.

Aly put her plane on autopilot and turned around. The guardians currently on her plane seemed fine enough. Rinku and Cimar were arguing, as usual, over one thing or another. Pikana was deep in conversation with Chester, something about prehistoric Pokemon and what happened in the years between Pikana's admittance to the asylum and her breakout. Teal was cackling to himself and rubbing his hands together mischievously. As far as Aly could tell, everything was normal around here. She turned back to her controls…

Wait a minute…

Beeh and Mah were on opposite sides of the plane. They didn't seem to be mad at each other, but more… reminiscent. They were both staring out the windows on each side of the Arwing. They were both trying their best not to look at each other. At times, though, one would give in and shoot a quick glance at the girl across from her, but not allow her to see this glance. All in all, this wasn't really the normal thing. In fact, Aly had never really seen these two so close to each other before…

Aly frowned. "I see what you're talking about now, Fox…"

_"Weird, isn't it?"_ Fox asked. _"Those two are usually… well, they're usually doing something… but not this. And it's just the way they're acting now… it's like…"_ he struggled to find the right word.

"It's like they've lost something…" Aly said quietly. "They've lost something… but they don't know how to get it back…"

_"Well… according to Yoshi, the only thing Mah's lost that means a lot to her is her dad and her little sister…"_ Fox told her. _"And even then, that was years ago… you would expect they'd be… you know, dead by now…"_

Aly shrugged. "Tabuu thought the same thing about the humans that escaped in a makeshift Arwing…" she smirked. "Look where I am now. I'm alive and healthy, baby!" she threw up her arms and hit a switch. Her rocket launchers activated again and something exploded nearby.

She hoped it was Eric.

"Um… excuse me?"

Aly looked to her right and saw Beeh standing there. The little girl seemed shy in her presence. As per usual, there was a little White Pikmin sitting on the girl's shoulder. The Pikmin stared at Aly with large red eyes that sent a chill down her spine. She could never get used to those things.

"Your radio's been ringing for a while already," Beeh said, pointing to it. Indeed it was. Aly smiled a bit and picked it up, sighing as she heard Mars cussing on the other end.

_"ALY, WHAT THE FUCK?"_

_"It was an accident, Mars!"_ Eric intervened. By the sound of things, he was extremely tired as well. _"Geez! I'll fix your paint job tomorrow…"_

_"You better,"_ Mars said darkly. _"Or I'll… I'll dump oil on your ice cream!"_

_"NOEZ! NOT THE ICE CREAM!"_

Again, Aly found herself chuckling. When these two were around, it was as if all the world's problems could actually be _solved_. There were times when, maybe, beating Tabuu once and for all _wasn't_ completely impossible…

"They argue a lot," Beeh observed. Her expression was rather wistful. "Are they brothers?"

Aly snorted. "Brothers? Them? Trust me, sister, if they were brothers, they'd be dead from the moment of their birth. Those two- the three of us, really- can't help but get at each others' throats 24/7. It's just how we roll," she looked at the radio. "Alright, what is it you two?"

_"We're heading towards some serious air turbulence,"_ Eric reported. _"We can try to find a way to avoid it, but we might run out of gas by the time we get to the mansion. And we only really have just enough to get there and back."_

_"Also… YOU RUINED MY PAINT JOB!" _Mars shouted.

"We're going to that air turbulence then!" Aly said cheerfully. "Hope everyone brought barf buckets!"

Both young men on the other end groaned. Aly rolled her eyes and put the radio down. Beeh's expression turned even more wistful as Mars and Eric started arguing over something on the other end.

"Is there something wrong?" Aly asked casually. She turned off the autopilot and took the wheel. As good as a technician Eric was, his autopilot didn't know how to plow through air turbulence.

Beeh sighed. "I guess… it's just that… hearing those two argue like that makes me kind of sad…"

Aly rolled her eyes. "Alright, one, no angst on my plane. If you wanna go cry your eyes out, go onto Eric's plane."

Beeh's expression fell. "I was just… I mean… sorry…"

_"Aly!"_ Fox sounded annoyed.

"Two, don't listen to Fox. He's no fun."

Beeh's expression lifted and a giggle escaped her. "Okay…"

"Three, what's up?"

Beeh sat down on a nearby box. "Well… I was just kind of sad over… over how even those two fight a lot, they're still friends…"

Aly snorted. "Friends? Well, if they're friends then I must be chopped liver! Those two can barely stand to be in the same room let alone have a decent conversation!"

"But they're lucky," Beeh pointed out. "A lot of us slaves grew up without… without anyone… anytime we made new friends, Tabuu's people would always come and take them away…" Aly detected a hint of fear in her voice. Frowning, the pilot turned on the autopilot function of the plane before turning around to face Beeh.

"Take them away…?"

"There was always this room where I came from…" Beeh explained. "Anytime a slave would get in trouble, they would take them to that room…" her voice trailed off.

"And then?" Aly prompted. She had heard rumors and whisperings of these rooms before. It was during one of her first missions with Eric and Mars, the one where she discovered how hard it was at times to work alone…

"They were never seen again…" Beeh whispered. "Dad was taken there so long ago… he tried to lead a rebellion against Team Rocket, but they weren't strong enough. Team Rocket had Pokemon with them… and they had nothing but pipes and stones… one by one, they were taken to The Room and never came out…" Aly saw her eyes shift in Mah's direction as she said this. There was a strange expression behind them, one of wistful reminiscence and… longing?

_"So… what does this have to do with Mah?"_ Fox asked. Aly repeated his question.

"She… it's just that… Mah looks so much like Dad," Beeh admitted. "There are these features of her face… I can see Dad in them…" she sighed. "Before Dad disappeared, he told me that there was still someone in the family that was still alive over here in Smashville. But he didn't have any time to say who that person was or what he or she looked like before the Team Rocket Grunts dragged him off…"

_"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_ Fox asked Aly. The female pilot only frowned at his remark. Though it was true that there could be a connection between Mah and Beeh's story, the chances of that were pretty slim. In this world of cruelty and hate, Tabuu could've done absolutely anything to the person Beeh's father had told her about…

Even have that person executed…

_"Aly, I know you don't want to raise false hopes in her,"_ Fox said. _"But this could be the one chance she has at knowing… you **know** this mission is life threatening. If she dies today without ever knowing if Mah is the missing link to her or not, how will her spirit ever rest?"_

"Fox… we need to wait," Aly muttered. "If we raise false hopes in her now and she actually survives tonight, she won't be able to fight properly later on…"

"… I'm sitting right here, you know," Beeh remarked. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly. "I'm not stupid, you know."

Aly sweatdropped. "Uh… listen-"

_"Hey Boss, ya there?"_ Eric asked over the radio. Thankful for the interruption, Aly picked up her speaker.

"What is it?"

_"We're closing in on the __Smash__Mansion__," _Eric reported. _"And air turbulence is starting to lessen around here."_

_"If we can somehow make a non-crash landing with these pieces of crap Eric built, then we should be fine breaking in,"_ Mars yawned.

_"Hey!"_

_"Let's face it, Eric… everything you touch turns out to be crap!"_

Aly laughed in spite of herself. "It's true, Eric! Don't deny it!"

_"I feel so underappreciated…"_

Aly rolled her eyes. "Shut up, you two, and get ready for landing!" she addressed the guardians in the back of her plane. "Hold onto your underwear! This is gonna be a bumpy ride!"

* * *

He had absolutely no memory at all of what happened. One moment, he was going down to check on his precious car. It was supposed to be a very quick walk, just step outside the summit of the base and back. It was supposed to be quick and easy…

But that didn't mean it was safe.

The next thing he had known, he felt the sharp edge of a silver blade at his throat. When he tried to Falcon Kick his attacker, he received a sword hilt to the head. As his world went black, he had caught a glimpse of the tall, curvy body of a woman. But aside from that, his memories were extremely fuzzy. However, one thing was clear at the moment…

He was in pain.

He was being ripped to shreds.

His every joint and every limb shrieked for release.

Blood flowed freely from huge gashes all over his body. These gashes were in places that would cause the most pain, but not kill him. In fact, death would be a blessing to him now.

He had just been sent to Hell.

_"Joe…?"_

That voice pierced the darkness all around him. For a moment, he could see a tiny, flickering light in front of him. But this light soon faded back into the darkness and once again, he was utterly alone.

Joe couldn't move, wouldn't move. One movement from him and his joints would all pop right out of their sockets. He had already lost feeling in his left arm long ago. One more move and his right arm would be next.

Death curled like black smoke at his feet, its horrid tendrils licking his exposed and bloodied toes. It seemed to taunt him, sometimes moving forward to finally take his life away, only to retreat back into the darkness of the great void in front of him. It laughed at his every attempt to call it back, cackled as his dry and cracked lips strained with the effort of trying to scream.

_"Joe, hold on…"_ he heard Captain Falcon beg. The racer had been trying everything to prevent the young guardian from succumbing to the madness leaking from every corner of his now broken mind. _"Joe, please… do everything you can to hold on… please, hold on…"_

"I… c-can't…" his guardian whispered weakly. It hurt him just to breathe. His joints were swollen and raw red. "I n-n-n-need… t-to… w-want…"

_"Dying won't solve any of this,"_ Falcon said harshly. _"We need to hold onto whatever sanity we have left and hope that the others are on their way…"_

A worm of doubt found its way into Joe's stomach. The young man felt the tiny flame of hope begin to flicker and fade. Many years ago, he was alone, just like this. He had worked for himself, raced for himself, and only ever helped himself. His intelligence had put him one step ahead of the Primid racers back then. He had everything he would ever need in this world. He had money, fame, and power. He had the respect of Tabuu himself!

What made him leave?

_"Joe, you raced for money alone,"_ Captain Falcon said, reading his thoughts. _"That is not a racer's way. True racers do their job, their duty for the thrill. Their passion had been awakened through a bond with a car that no one else has. It is-"_

"Joe?"

The voice was pained and choked, just like his. Joe's joints were on fire and as a result, his voice had been reduced to nothing more than a mere whisper. Though this voice was slightly stronger than his at the moment, it was all too evident that pain laced every word.

Captain Falcon's guardian lifted his head, groaning as his joints shrieked with pain. There were no torches in this place, save for a tiny candle in the very center of the room. However long that candle had been burning, it was going to run out of wax soon. But in the light of the dim candle, he was just barely able to make out a figure sitting on a rather strange looking chair.

"G-Green…?"

There was a tiny flicker of movement in the void. From what Joe could tell through, Green had given him a small smile. He had been forced tied to the chair and a large bar pushed his legs into the seat. The tiny candle caught the gleam of spikes all over the chair, running not only on the seat but over the back and the arms as well. The spikes gouged themselves deep into Green's flesh and it was a wonder that through all of that pain, he could still find the courage to smile at him. In the dim light of the room, Joe could just barely make out a few more figures.

He recognized Sam hanging suspended in the air by ropes tied to both his wrists and ankles. Right underneath him, positioned in the extremely painful spot between the anus and the groin, was a small dull pyramid. Every so often, gravity would pull Young Link's guardian down and force his body upon the pyramid, driving the point into that very spot. A cry of pitiful pain was ripped forth from his throat every time that happened.

JB was tied upon a long wooden board, bound by chains on his wrists and ankles. There was a hose of some sort positioned just over his head. Every so often, a gush of water would stream out of it and onto the young man's face. This would cause him to do an immediate and painful gag reflex and the water would shut off for a few more seconds, allowing him to breathe. This was to prevent him from dying, as quite obviously, their captor wanted them alive.

Chi was going through something horrid as well. He was bound completely head to toe on a wooden board, just like JB. There was no way he could move any part of his body, not even his face. Right above him was a lemon, as sour and juicy as could be. His right eye was forced to remain wide open with some kind of tape. A device above him slowly squeezed the citrus and tiny drops of the acid fell upon his eye. This happened so slowly and so painfully, it was a wonder that he was yet to cry out. Joe was pretty sure that his eyes were already raw red from having it above him for so long.

He wasn't alone.

_"Wait a minute…"_ Captain Falcon mumbled. _"What the… what the heck are these guys doing here?"_

"J-Joe?" Sam's voice squeaked. "Joe? Are you there? Are you alive?" it trembled as he was forced back down once again by gravity onto the point of the pyramid.

"S-Sam…" Joe said weakly, running his tongue over his chapped lips. "How… how long…?"

"About… about an hour…" Green managed to choke out. "Long enough… long enough for her to… poor Drake…"

Joe coughed. "W-Wha-"

"Drake…" Sam said bitterly, crying out as he hit the point. "She's given him the worst punishment out of all of us, Joe!" Joe's face must have showed his confusion as Sam gestured- with his head- over to a tall shadow in the corner of the room. It was so tucked away that Joe didn't see it there before.

An Iron Maiden.

_"Oh dear God…"_ Captain Falcon whispered. Joe felt his stomach flip over in fear and disgust. What kind of horrible, sickening person would do this?

"She's questioning us…" Chi said quietly, speaking up for the first time. "She wants to know how to get past the Guardians Only barrier… Tabuu's planning to lead a surprise attack on the others and she thinks we know how to get past it…"

Joe coughed. "S-She…? Who's-"

"That would be me," a voice behind him remarked. It was a woman's, obviously, and had just the smallest touch of a superior air to it. The light footsteps of a well trained and speedy fighter echoed all around the room as she approached.

Joe was suddenly aware of a scent of some kind near him. It smelled like a desert would smell like: sun-baked and dry. A tall, tanned figure entered the young guardian's vision as this scent grew stronger. Like many Gerudo Cimar and Rinku had described, she was tanned all over with long dark hair caught up in a sweeping ponytail. She was a beauty, true, but one look in her cold black eyes would cause any man to run away in fright.

_"Whoa…"_ Falcon said. _"She's hot…"_

"Shut up, Falcon," Joe muttered.

Joe couldn't tell if Captain Falcon was drooling or wincing as the woman brought up her hand and gently turned the crank of the rack. It was merely a centimeter she cranked, but it was enough to have Joe's joints threaten to leap right out of their sockets if they were forced to be stretched anymore. This pain, combined with the thought that he may never see the light of day again, caused Joe's eyes to water slightly.

Her mouth curled into a sneer at the sight of his watering eyes. "Now, now, no need to become such a crybaby, little boy…" her long fingers drummed menacingly upon the crank. "Only Princesses are allowed to do such a pathetic thing… not boys and men…"

Through gritted teeth, Joe finally found his voice. "Wh-who… are… y-you…?"

Her voice became sharp as a two- edged sword. "I shall do the talking here, child. Men… they are meant to be seen, not heard."

_"I take serious offense to that,"_ Falcon muttered.

Joe remained silent, sweat pouring down his face. He had never been in any more pain than this in his many years of life. But this woman's hard words, her crippling blow to his dignity, it was all too much for him. It took every bit of the willpower he had left to keep him from crying out as her fingers gently turned the crank again, causing the ropes to ever so slightly pull on his joints even more.

"Now listen well, you disgusting swine," the woman hissed. "You are to answer every single one of my questions truthfully and immediately… should you _ever_ choose to lie to me…" her long fingernails slowly tapped on the crank of the Rack. "I assure you that once your joints are ripped out of their sockets, your pain will _never_ end from there…"

"I-I-I'm… n-not… a-afraid… of y-you…" Joe whispered angrily. His voice shook with the effort of holding back his pain. He met her dark, steady gaze with one of his own and for a moment, he could've sworn that he saw just the faintest shadow of doubt behind those pitch black Gerudo eyes.

_"Joe, whatever she does, don't give in!"_ his Smasher urged. Joe could hear the fear in the racer's voice. _"You're stronger than that, I know you are! Don't give in!"_

"First question," the woman snarled, gripping the crank all the more tighter. "Which Smasher are you the guardian of?"

Joe's breath caught as his joints were stretched once again. "I am Joe, the proud guardian of Captain Douglas Jay Falcon!" he let out a small sigh of relief as the ropes attached to his limbs relaxed were relaxed slightly. It would do the woman no good to rip out his joints now. If he could just simply stay alive long enough…

"Another question," the woman hissed again, her voice piercing through Joe's temporary relief like a sharp knife in his ribs. "What do you know about the barrier that surrounds your precious base?"

"I don't know… who you're talking about…"

With a low growl, the crank was turned even more. A sharp sting stabbed its way through Joe's right shoulder and ran all the way down his spine. He gasped as the shock of this sudden movement of his joints temporarily left him dazed.

"Do not lie to me you spineless worm!" the Gerudo snapped. "How do I penetrate the barrier that surrounds the base?"

"I don't- AGH!"

_"JOE!"_

"Do you _wish_ to die?" the Gerudo woman hissed. "I assure you, every single one of your joints _will_ be ripped from your body, I shall slowly skin every single part of your body alive with my daggers, and your flesh shall be used to shine every single one of my weapons! I have no need for pathetic swine such as yourself and neither does Tabuu…" her dark eyes flashed angrily. "I find it best if you simply cooperate, _Joe_…" that name was spat out like it was poison. "Cooperate with me and you shall be rewarded… you shall be given everything you've ever dream of… work with me and Lord Tabuu shall spare your life…"

Joe glared at her defiantly, his own mouth curled into a snarl. Pained though he was, he was not the type of person to simply stand around and allow a person to insult him in this way. Yes, he was afraid. Any sane person would be afraid. But if there was one thing about him, it was that he was as loyal as could be.

He had often said that there was no way they would win. He _knew_ there was no way a group of ragtag teens could ever overpower the very essence of evil itself. Joe summoned up whatever strength and courage he had left, knowing that this could be the very last words he would ever speak.

"Go… fuck… yourself…"

That did it. He watched as her eyes seemed to glow blood red. "WHY YOU LITTLE SWINE! I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!" she grabbed onto the crank.

Joe braced himself. This was it. He was going to die here and now. In his mind's eye, he could already see Death coming with his long gray veil. Just one touch and he would be free…

One touch…

Just like that, Death was gone. The pain Joe felt faded to a whisper. There was definitely someone standing in front of him, but it was _not_ the tall, cloaked figure of Death. It was the rather short, all too familiar figure of…

"C-Che-"

"Sh… it's alright Joe… you're safe now…"

* * *

"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die…"

"Shaddup back there! These weapons aren't gonna get themselves, you know!"

"YOU SHADDUP!"

Wrath slammed a hand over Nao's mouth. "Sh…" the guardian of Meta Knight was rather annoyed at the moment. Aside from Nao's constant "I'm gonna die" chants, Rinku and Cimar had both insisted the weapons gathering groups would go through the vents. How the century old vents of the former Smash Mansion were able to carry their weight, Wrath would never understand.

"Mmph mm mph!" Nao said against Wrath's hand. Wrath smirked and shook his head. There was no way he was going to let him go to complain again.

Kage, who was crawling right behind Wrath, saw this. "Wrath, just let him go. We need to catch up to those two before they start making out or something up ahead!"

"WE'RE-!" the two Hylians stopped themselves just in time. They had to keep their voices down if they were going to be able to have the element of surprise with them should they choose to attack.

Reluctantly, Wrath let go of Nao and allowed him to crawl ahead. "As long as he shuts up and stops complaining…" he kept crawling.

_"Wrath, surely there are some kind of security measures taken against these vents,"_ Meta Knight said in disbelief. _"Back when we had our bodies, those Smasher kids would sneak through the vents all the time. Master Hand had been forced to install cameras in here…"_ the Star Warrior had honed his many skills in the years he had spent training back in Dreamland. One thing he had learned was that no place was truly free from enemies. He thought that Tabuu surely would put up _something_ in the vents…

Wrath shrugged. "I don't know about you, MK, but frankly, when you're either a slave or the foster son of the Envoy of all Things Evil, you don't do much sneaking through the vents." he sniffed experimentally. "And phew! Who ate beans last night?"

"Sorry!" Fyre called. Everyone who heard him started laughing.

"Sh!" Cimar hissed suddenly, waving for the group to stop. He was staring intently at a particular grated part of the vent. A tiny sliver of light was slipping through each of the grates. Cimar's and Rinku's long pointed ears twitched slightly as they listened for any sort of sound that indicated what room they were above just now.

"… Wrath…" Rinku murmured, not taking his eyes off the grate. "Wrath, can you tell where we are by looking through here?"

Wrath crawled forward. "I can try… but there's no guarantee I'll be right…" he squeezed in between the two Hylians and stared.

The first thing that struck him was the scent. It was the rather strange smell that came only from burning oil in a lamp. He was suddenly reminded of the day Tabuu had banned all uses of electricity for humans. It had been just days after the major revolt. He remembered quite clearly that Fyre had been prominent among the slaves. He had only been about five back then, but he remembered Fyre's face well.

Did he still remember…?

He remembered that he was the one that thought taking away the precious thing known as electricity from the slaves wasn't enough. Taught by Tabuu to be as evil and sadistic as he was from a young age, he had had the slaves lashed until blood gushed out of the gashes they had received in their back and many of them were tied by their ankles to the ceilings of the Main Hall.

Fyre had been one of the worse ones whipped. He had only been a child back then as well, but the sight of a child slave thinking that he could ever _dare_ outshine his father invoked Wrath's namesake and he was mercilessly punished. It had not been until Wrath had turned about 13 that he realized what he was doing, what his _foster father_ was doing.

Did he still remember…?

_"You have much to atone for, Wrath,"_ Meta Knight said.

Wrath grimaced, but nodded. He leaned in farther and concentrated on peculiar little flashes of gold and silver here and there. For a moment, he could've sworn that he was that little boy again, watching as the Primids picked their way through a room lined with precious metals. They were searching for something, to be sure, but at only five years old, he was still too young to truly understand what was going on.

He remembered that the Primids had pulled one particular gold item out of a pile of gems. It had been a beautiful sword, too short for any human to wield. It was razor sharp and flared slightly at the blade, just like-

_"Galaxia!"_ Meta Knight said sharply. Wrath flinched a bit at the Star Warrior's sudden outburst. He knew exactly what "Galaxia" was, but it had been a very long time since he had seen it.

After all, Tabuu considered it a weak weapon compared to ones the Primids forged…

_"Wrath, we must get down there immediately,"_ Meta Knight ordered. It was easy to tell that the Star Warrior wanted nothing more than to be reunited with his sword. If he couldn't have his ship and body back at the moment, at least he would be able to fight with a proper weapon in his hand. Though it was true Wrath's sword was perfectly balanced for a boy his age and size, Meta Knight had never truly become used to that particular sword.

"Hold your horses, Pops!" Wrath hissed. Meta Knight's urging was staring to give him a migraine. "If we just jump down there like a bunch of idiots, we'll be chopped up and served to the Primids before you can say 'Dreamland'."

"Got anything, Wrath?" Rinku asked over his shoulder. "It's getting awfully tight in here…"

Wrath nodded. "Yep. The armory should be just under us. If we can just smash this grating away, we'll be able to jump down and-"

"Uh… guys?" Kage asked. "We might not need to smash that grate…"

Wrath looked at her confusedly. "Why wouldn't w- AHHHHHHH!" that was the only sound out of his mouth as the floor cracked beneath him and he fell through the hole it created.

_"Wrath! Land on your feet!"_

He landed on his face. "Ow… I think I broke my- oomph!"

"Sorry Wrath," Rinku said, getting up. "But you really shouldn't lie there while there are people that are ready to jump down on you in a moment."

"Why you- ARGH!"

Cimar got up and dusted himself off. "Sorry, I was aiming to the right of you. Hope I didn't bruise anything."

"You bruised me dignity if that's- YEOWCH!"

"That's for earlier!" Nao stuck his tongue out at him. Wrath growled in response. Then Fyre and Kage landed on him. Then Golfer and Traca. Crystal used her chains to swing from the vent and narrowly missed Wrath when she landed.

_"Get up, Wrath,"_ Meta Knight sighed. _"We shall be able to revenge ourselves upon them **after** we get Galaxia and the other weapons out of here…"_

"Well, where do we look first?" Golfer asked. Wrath didn't need to look at him to know that he was currently staring at the mounds of gold lining the walls. "Can I start where all the shiny stuff is?"

"There's shiny stuff everywhere, idiot," Nao rolled his eyes. He started digging around in a pile of gold. "I'm pretty sure if we just grabbed about half of this stuff, we'd have it made!"

"No!" Wrath yanked his hand out of the gold. "We're not here to get rich! We're here to grab our Smashers' weapons and get the Hell out!"

"What's so bad about taking some of this stuff out?" Crystal asked. She was holding and admiring a gold chalice. "If Tabuu's keeping all this stuff around, surely he has no need for it…"

"But that doesn't mean they'll be a chance he might miss it," Cimar reasoned. He put down the sword he had been looking at. "And frankly, I don't know about you guys, but I don't think I'd want to carry home any Shadow Bugs."

Wrath nodded. He remembered the last time he had dared to touch those things. It had been like touching water woven into tiny, parasitic orbs. They had leaped on his fingers, shocking him out of his wits. Before the young boy could even try to shake them off, they had already started attacking his very flesh. He remembered the searing pain of millions upon millions of tiny teeth smashing through his skin cells, ripping through the nerve, the muscle, the vein…

_"Wrath…"_ Meta Knight said quietly, snapping him out of his trance. _"You know more about this evil than the others, don't you?"_

Wrath moved off into a darkened part of the room and quietly started sifting through some piles of gold. He knew for a fact that Ragnell, the Greil and his son Ike, was in here somewhere. The others had already fanned out to their own respective corners of the room. Fyre and Golfer were on either end of the huge double doors blocking the entrance to the hall, ready to ambush any Subspace denizen that would dare come in. Once assured that no one would overhear him, Wrath finally spoke.

"I… yes…" he whispered miserably. "I know more… a lot more… a lot more than I wish I never learned…"

_"Speak then, Wrath,"_ Meta Knight ordered. _"Tell me everything you know… what they feed on, why they exist, their weakness…"_ The Star Warrior needed to get as much information as he could. If Wrath was not mistaken, he knew that somehow, whatever he said today would get passed on to the Smashers. He had to choose his words carefully.

"… The Shadow Bugs…" Wrath took a deep breath. "Where do I begin? They were born from pure greed, fear, and lust… every creature in history has had an evil thought, whether it is the intent to murder another or to simply covet something another has… this greed, this thirst for all things is what gave birth to the very essence of Subspace itself… the Shadow Bugs…"

_"We were led to believe the Shadow Bugs were what gave Tabuu his immense power,"_ Meta Knight said sharply. _"That if we merely eliminate them, then Tabuu's power will end."_

Wrath shook his head. "Trying to kill every single Shadow Bug out there is like trying to beat Chuck Norris in anything. No matter how hard you try, there will always be one creature in one of the known universes that will continue to feed the Shadow Bugs with their greed and lust…" he sighed. "They all have a mind of their own… the evils of the world eventually became so intense and powerful that the Shadow Bugs were able to form a consciousness of their own."

_"But how did Tabuu manage to gain this power?"_ Meta Knight asked. _"Out of all the evil beings in this world, the Shadow Bugs chose **him** to be their master and their vessel of power?"_

Wrath grimaced. "Sorry MK, but I don't exactly know why either… all I know is that whatever happened, he was transformed into what he is today… an ultra powerful being with only one weakness on him."

_"And that weakness is…?"_ Meta Knight prompted impatiently. Wrath scowled.

"His weakness is the glowing core at the center of his body. That thing that everyone seems to want to avoid at all costs. Hit the core, destroy it, then you'll have a dead Tabuu…" he shook his head. "But killing Tabuu doesn't mean you'll kill off all those stupid bugs. It might take them a while, but they'll eventually find some other sucker they'll reel in. Evil's like that. Always searching for a new vessel to help it spread…"

_"The core on his body…"_ Meta Knight murmured. Wrath saw the thoughts racing through his head. _"If we are able to destroy it-"_

"I hope you have something made of pure light, MK," Wrath said bluntly. "That thing's impervious to all forces unless it's exposed to pure, unfiltered light."

_"Hm… if that is true, perhaps Zelda will-"_

"Uh… guys?" Golfer called from the door. "Might wanna hurry it up?"

"We've got company!" Fyre shouted jumping as the golden double doors began to open up. Using his flame breath, he melted the crack between the doors shut. It worked in that it delayed the Primids trying to break in, but it was obvious that it wouldn't hold for long. "And Bowser says we have about five minutes before those idiots on the other end figure out what a battering ram is!"

The atmosphere in the room, once relaxed, had quickly turned to frantic digging. Wrath felt his fingers start to bleed as he grabbed onto uncut diamonds and other extremely sharp objects with his bare hands and threw them out of his way. Away went a sword, a shield, some jewels, gold coins, a chalice…

_"There!"_

He saw it. It was an all too familiar blade with a hilt made of obsidian and a blade of gold. Ike had once been so strong he was able to wield this two handed blade with just one hand. But that was a hundred years ago. With a possessed body, the mercenary had long ago thrown away this sword in favor of another that was said to be stronger, faster…

Eviler…

"I've found Galaxia!" Cimar shouted, waving the blade in the air.

Rinku held up a box. "This thing has a bunch of flowers and shrooms in it! MS and Green could use this!" he also held up another sword. It looked like it had a bronze hilt and a blade of gold. A small blue pommel was its only decoration. "This thing's nice… once Link gets his body back, I'm using this!" he grinned. "Sword, I dub thee… The Gamersword!"

"I found Falchion!" Traca waved it in the air.

Nao jumped out of a pile of gold waving a similar looking sword around. "And the Sword of Seals!"

Crystal held up a tiny sword. "DK says that this is the Kokiri Sword… but it's kinda small…"

_"Sam will simply have to deal with wielding such a weapon," _Meta Knight said in answer to Wrath's questioning look. _"Just like you'll have to start wielding Galaxia."_

"No way Pops!" Wrath spat. "I have a perfectly good sword of my own, thanks!"

Kage held up a small gold chest. "Miles told me to be on the lookout for these things called the Chaos Emeralds. I don't know if he means these things, but I'm taking them anyways." she grinned.

"Uh… guys?" Golfer and Fyre were both pressing their backs against the door, trying to keep it from opening. "They've figured out what a battering ram is used for!"

Wrath grabbed Ragnell and wrenched it out of the gold. He nearly cut off his leg in the process. There was no possible way Cam could _ever_ wield this thing in one hand.

… Right?

"Rinku, quick! Get these things in your pants!" Wrath shouted as he struggled to drag Ragnell along.

"WRATH! Don't you know how wrong that sounds?"

"Stop whining, Rinku," Cimar tossed him Galaxia. "Just put them… just put them wherever Link puts his other stuff!"

"You mean in his pants?" Nao asked cheerfully. He tossed over the Sword of Seals before realizing what was in front of him. "Oh… my… God… IT'S MISTER SATURN!"

"Ugh…" Wrath facepalmed. There was a _reason_ Mr. Saturn had been placed here long ago. And frankly, this had been one of the few things he had agreed with his foster father about as he grew older.

"GUYS?" Fyre shouted. Flames licked his lips as he applied some more to the door. Molten metal began to slowly run down the door, heading right for the two boys. "WE NEED TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE NOW!"

Rinku turned around. "Alright, I'm done! Cimar, get us out of here!"

"Farore's Wind can't teleport _all_ of us at the same time!" Cimar protested. "I was hoping Nao knew how to teleport with Mewtwo's powers!"

"Well… yeah… but don't blame me if you suddenly start spontaneously combusting right in the middle of it!"

"It's the only chance we have, Nao," Fyre snarled. "If we want to make it back alive, we need _you_ to teleport us back to those planes as soon as possible!"

Nao gulped. "B-But… Mewtwo said…"

"Forget what Mewtwo said!" Kage shouted. "Just get us out of here, Nao! We'll take that risk if it means getting the Hell out of here alive!"

Nao took a deep breath. Wrath could see his silver eyes flickering slightly from black to their usual color. Whether Mewtwo was against this idea or not, he couldn't tell.

"… Alright," Nao said quietly. "But if any of you are harmed while we're getting out of here… it's not my fault…"

"That's fine with us," Cimar agreed. "Just get us out of here."

"Gather round, everyone!" Nao held his hands out. "You have to be touching some part of me for this to work. We only have a few seconds to do this!"

Golfer and Fyre both left their posts at the doors. Fyre spewed out another tongue of flame at it for good measure. They each touched a spot on his arm. Cimar and Rinku stood on either side of Nao and touched each of his shoulders. Crystal, Traca, and Kage touched each of his hands and his right shoulder respectively. Wrath was farthest out from the group, unsure of this situation. He felt rather awkward at the thought of having to teleport, seeing that he had heard several stories about people losing body parts and stuff like that.

"Wrath, come on!" Kage shouted as Nao began to glow. "Those Primids are gonna break in any second now!"

_BOOM!_

The doors rocked dangerously on their hinges. Wrath looked from them to Nao's glowing form, still hesitant, still scared. He felt Meta Knight flutter slightly in his mind. The Star Warrior couldn't decide if he should allow Wrath to stay so he could prove his worth in battle or flee before things got too messy.

"Wrath, is Meta Knight holding you back or something?" Rinku demanded. "Come on, man! We need _you_ to get out of here! You're holding Ragnell!"

Wrath suddenly became aware that he was indeed holding Ragnell. The blessed sword glowed slightly in his hand. If he could just learn to lift it, perhaps…

"WRATH! GET OVER HERE!"

The doors weren't going to hang on their hinges for much longer. Wrath knew that he was strong enough to take on any number of Primids. It _had_ been an awful long time since he had been in a proper fight. None of the guardians really believed him when he said that he could probably take down a small army of Primids. If he put his money where his mouth was now…

"WRATH!"

_BAM!_

Dust filled the room, clogging up Wrath's throat and nostrils. Coughing, the young man staggered backwards just in time to avoid a rain of bullets from a Primid gun. He could feel the heat of the raw energy radiating off Nao upon him now. Before he could react, someone reached out and grabbed his arm.

The wind started to blow.

The room started to spin.

Faster and faster…

Until everything was still.

Absolutely still.

* * *

"Pikana, gimme a hand here," Chester tugged at the ropes binding Joe to the board. "We need to get him out… and fast!"

Pikana frowned as she studied the ropes with a critical eye. They were rather weak for torture ropes, the kind you would find at any hardware store. True, they were tied in intricate knots that no human hand could ever get untied within an hour, but a good amount of gnawing on them should've done the trick. Then again though, those ropes were covered in grime…

"No way, I'm not touching those," Pikana shook her head. "Find some other Chu that can gnaw through those things!"

"Pikana…" Chester groaned. "Come on… we need to get these guys outta here and fast!"

"Have Nask get him out!" Pikana crossed her arms. "She has that… sharp stick thingy…"

"Sorry, bit busy over here," Nask apologized. She and Ridere were currently trying to untie Sam from the ceiling. Pikana found it a bit odd that _anyone_ would try to torture someone by tying them from the ceiling.

Although, she had to admit that the pyramid was a nice touch.

_"Pikana, can't you just Chainy those ropes?"_ Pikachu asked. It was easy to tell that the little mouse Pokemon wasn't at all comfortable with standing around in the dungeons. For a moment, a memory flashed by. _"Seriously, I really wanna get outta here… Pichu might wet himself again!"_

Pikana smirked. "Excellent idea, Pikachu!" she grinned evilly and pulled out the infamous diamond tipped chainsaw and revved it. "FEAR ME AND MAH CHAINY!"

Joe and Chester jumped. Well, Chester jumped. Joe only managed a wince.

"I am _not_ letting that thing near him!" Chester snapped. "And… and turn it off!"

Pikana scowled. "How else do you think I'll be able to cut through tho-"she could practically feel a light bulb lighting up in her head.

She had an idea.

_"Pikana… don't…"_ Pikachu whispered. The last time _anyone_ had done what Pikana was thinking, the world nearly imploded. It was all through the efforts of the Smashers that it _didn't_. _"There's gotta be another way! Don't!"_

"It must be done, Pikachu…" Pikana reached into the pocket of her hoodie. "It must be done…"

Chester stepped back. "I don't like that look you're giving me, Pikana… put the chainsaw down…"

Pikana realized that she was still holding said chainsaw. Much to Chester's and Joe's obvious relief, she turned it off and put it away. Now she pulled something else out of her hoodie. It was a little black rectangular object with a familiar bat insignia on it.

_"PIKANA, PUT THAT THING AWAY!"_

"NEVER, PIKACHU!" his guardian cackled, waving it in the air. "LOOK HERE YOU FOOLISH MORTALS! FEAST YOUR EYES UPON THIS!" she grinned. "I never leave home without it!"

Every guardian in the room froze, eyes widened. Beeh stopped trying to break Green out of the chair. Teal stopped trying to get JB to stop ranting to himself. Mah stopped picking the lock on Chi's chains. Ridere and Nask both froze as well. Nask's Naginata cut through the ropes holding Sam, causing Young Link's guardian to fall flat on the pyramid that was still underneath him before falling to the floor.

Silence.

"I-Is th-th-that..." Green whispered.

"It can't be…" Chester shook his head. "I thought… we thought…"

"I thought those were destroyed!" Mah gaped. "Those things aren't supposed exist anymore!"

"What is it?" Beeh looked confused.

Teal shook his head. "It's the bane of all existence… one of the most evil things in all the known worlds…"

Nask was trembling. "It's… it's…"

"… A bat credit card…" Ridere blinked. Then his hands balled up into fists as he started trembling. "A bat… credit… card…? They had the _balls_ to give one of the greatest superheroes of all time a bat credit card…?"

"Ridere…" Nask put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Ridere…"

Pikana grinned evilly. This was going exactly as planned. Now all she had to do was tick him off a bit more. She took a stepped closer, waving the bat credit card in front of Ridere's face.

"You like it, don't you Ridere?" she laughed. "I know you like it… I know I got ya crazy… feel the insanity, Ridere… ACCEPT THE INSANITY! KEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

_"Pikana, you're insane!" _Pikachu bit his ghostly nails in fear. _"This won't help us escape! It'll just kill us all!"_

Ridere kept twitching. "Does not compute… does not compute… does not compute…"

Pikana grinned. This was really entertaining. "C'mon Ridere… help us get outta here…"

"P-Pikana, put it away," Teal pleaded quietly. Like the rest of the guardians in the room, he didn't want the world imploding again. "P-Put it away… we can find another way to get these things off of them… and Ridere, calm down…"

Ridere took a deep breath. "…RAPE MY CHILDHOOD WILL YOU?" he pulled out Snake's bazooka. "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU ALL! GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"EVERYONE TAKE COVER!" Pikana shouted, ducking just in time to dodge a flying piece of wood. Numerous colors danced before the little Pokemon's eyes as the bat credit card rage continued to coarse through her fellow guardian's veins. She kept an extra tight hold on the credit card in particular.

After all, you never know when it might come in handy again.

_"Pikana, this is going too far!"_ Pikachu shouted. _"You're going to massacre the whole mansion at this rate!"_

"THAT'S THE POINT, PIKA- KUN! YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!"

_BOOM!_

Pikana felt a searing heat on her back as something hard and heavy landed near it. From the smell of it, it was a chain of some sort. Ridere must have already broken Chi free. Despite the thrill she felt at knowing she had caused a possible massacre of the entire Smash Mansion, including Tabuu, she couldn't help but feel scared as well. What if this went all wrong? What if she had pushed Snake's guardian too far? What if…

_BAM!_

"So dark… so d-dark… so- FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" that was Drake's voice. None of the others were able to figure out where he was when they came in. Pikana's smirk widened. It was a job well done.

_BOOM!_

A searing pain shot through Pikana's little yellow tail almost right after that explosion. She let out a cry that was lost to the never ending chaos the dungeon had become. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was completely surrounded by a puddle of a dark red substance.

Her blood.

"PIKANA!" Chester crawled over to her, carefully avoiding the pieces of concrete falling from the ceiling. Pikana's keen ears could already hear running footsteps as Subspace denizens- and possibly Smashers- ran to investigate the noise. Through the smoke that Ridere was kicking up, she could see the tall figure of Nask doing everything to catch the boy and calm him down. Mah was standing protectively over Beeh, an egg ready in her hand in case Ridere got too close to them.

"C-Chester…" Pikana whispered. Her vision was starting to swim from the blood loss. "Chester, I-"

Chester nodded gravely. "I know, Pikana…" he looked at the rather large piece of concrete pinning her tail to the floor. "We'll need to get this thing off as soon as possible… Teal can take a look at that tail-"

"Chester, need some help moving that?" Green was next to Pikana in a second. By the looks of things, he alone of the captured guardians still had most of his wits on him. The others, while still more or less sane, were definitely in no condition to walk properly let alone fight or move a giant piece of concrete.

_BAM!_

The next thing Pikana knew, Green was sent flying to the nearest wall. He slid down, completely unconscious. In spite of herself, the little Pokemon started to tremble. Pikachu was right. She _had_ gone too far…

"Urgh… come on… come on… move you stupid rock…"

Pikana looked up. Chester was doing everything he could to push the concrete off of her. In spite of her fear, she smiled. Even when he was going to die (sort of), he could still pull through.

"BAT CREDIT CARD! BAT CREDIT CARD! BAT CREDIT CA-" Ridere fell down with a _thump!_ Nask stood over him, smiling sheepishly. The butt of her Naginata was still being held in the air.

Teal came out from where he had taken cover under the Iron Maiden and surveyed the damage. Pikana could tell that he _definitely_ didn't like what he saw. He had told her before the planes took off that as a Healer, he would have to look after the person that was wounded the most. From the looks of things, Drake, JB, and Sam were beyond physical help. Green and Chi still had their wits about them. Well, Green was unconscious, but that was another story. That left only Pikana, slowly paling as her blood seeped away from her.

Pikana winced as Teal's hands started patting her down to check for any serious injuries. Of course, the efforts of Chester to roll the stone off of her finally worked. There was a small wound in her tail, but it didn't look too serious, considering the blood she already lost because of it.

"We'll need to bandage this and then get everyone else back to the planes," Teal pronounced. "C'mon guys, we have to get outta here before-"

_WOO! WOO! WOO!_

Red lights started flashing all around them. The sound seemed to rip through the walls, so loud that it caused their very eardrums to tremble in pain. Pikana, whose ears were most sensitive out of the group's, used her tiny paws to try to cover them.

"Oh shit…" Chester whispered. "Alright, let's get outta here!"

"There's only one way out!" Nask called from the other end of the room, trying to wake up Ridere. "And that's through the vents!"

"There's no way _all_ of us will be able to crawl through those things!" Chi crossed his arms. "I mean… those things are _cheap_!"

That was when Pikana noticed a gleam in Chester's eye. The undead teen had fascinated her for a while, since he claimed to be over a hundred years old. Though it was true that he probably just used that time to hide out and train in Halloween Town, there was always the slightest chance that he had witnessed something _amazing!_

… Like the fall of the Smashers, perhaps?

Chester searched around the wall, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "There should be some kind of switch around here somewhere… the kid Smashers used to use it to get away from the older ones when they were in trouble…"

_"Wait, what?"_ Pikachu asked. _"I didn't know there was something down here!"_

Chester touched on particularly dark and moldy stoned and grinned. "Found it!" he pushed it in.

Almost immediately, the room began to shake. Small pebbles fell from the ceiling. Tiny cracks began to appear all around that particular stone, forming a shape that looked a lot like a rectangle. Unconsciously, Pikana fingered Bazookie's tiny tube in her pocket, fearing for a moment that the roof might just collapse on top of them.

And then it happened. The rectangle of bricks swung aside, revealing a long, dark tunnel. A strange and musty scent wafted from it and in the dim light, it seemed to glow a dank green. Up above, Pikana could hear the footsteps of Tabuu's henchmen coming closer to their location…

"C'mon, let's get out of here," Nask ordered as she dragged Ridere forward. "I don't want to be fighting Primids _now_…"

"Yeah, with half of us either too hurt to fight or just psychologically unable to," Teal agreed as he attempted to slap Green awake.

Chester nodded. "Alright, is everyone at least able to walk?"

Mah came over dragging Sam by the ear. "Ugh! He smells like he's been dunked in a toilet or something!"

"I have!" Sam sniffed. "Eight times! All of them after Wario went in them!"

"C'mon Drake, c'mon JB," Chi said encouragingly. "We're almost outta here…"

"WAKE UP, GREEN!" Beeh threw several Pikmin at his head. The little creatures proceeded to biting Green on the nose until he finally woke up.

_BAM!_

The wooden door rocked dangerously on its hinges. Pikana couldn't help but roll her eyes. Haven't these Primids heard of a doorknob? Why were they using a battering ram?

"Pikana, come on!"

The others had already gone into the tunnel. Chester had stayed behind to make sure everyone got through. It was strange the way the shadows danced on his eyes. One moment, it looked like the Chester Pikana had come to know: compassionate and caring. At other times, he looked… different.

His eyes would flash a bright, dangerous red. The gentle curve of his mouth would transform into a battle hardened line. His face, usually glowing in the light of his caring heart, would become cold, pinched, and cruel. But always, the very next second, he was Chester again…

"Is there anything wrong, Pikana?" Chester asked. He looked worried for her.

Pikana shook her head and started running through the tunnel on all fours, accompanied by Chester. Behind them, the tunnel closed in on itself again, as if by magic. Pikana later realized that Chester simply pushed the stone door closed. By the time any Primids could get into the dungeons, the only thing they would find were a bunch of empty Medieval torture devices.

And probably one pissed off Gerudo.

_"Man, even I didn't know we had one of those,"_ Pikachu muttered thoughtfully. _"Just think of all the pantry raids I've missed…"_

"Chester, how'd you know it was there?" Pikana asked as she ran. Though it was well known that the Smash Mansion had a "secret" passageway or two, Tabuu had long sealed them. There was no way he was going to allow a single slave to escape, especially after Psyche successfully did so long ago.

Chester smiled sadly as he ran. "… Have you heard of my hometown, Halloween Town?"

Pikana frowned. Her mother used to tell her stories of that place. But after a couple years in the asylum, the stories had long faded away into nothing more but distant memories. "Well… sorta?"

Chester grinned. "There's no 'sorta' when it comes to Halloween Town. You either know it, or you don't."

_"I think Master Hand used to talk about forming an alliance with that place or something…"_ Pikachu said uncertainly. Being a Pokemon, he never really got involved in all the diplomatic stuff.

"It was once a prospering world," Chester continued, his expression wistful. "Jack Skellington was ready to sign an alliance treaty with Smashville and everything. I was about twenty years old back then, so I was still a toddler…"

Pikana tripped at that bit of news. "A _kid_ at twenty?"

Chester shrugged. "Hey, I can't die naturally, can I? Anyways… That was a few years after Jack managed to take down Oogie Boogie and all that stuff. I was there at the front of the crowd when Jack dipped his quill into the inkwell and got ready to sign the piece of paper that would practically guarantee safety in Halloween Town for at least the next hundred years or so."

"And you guys were sure that the Smashers would live that long?" Pikana raised an eyebrow.

Chester shrugged. "I didn't really get it back then, either, but according to Mom, Smashers could be replaced. And, really, Master Hand _is_ the entity of creation. Both he and Crazy Hand are supposed to be a _lot_ older than what they let on."

"So what happened?" Pikana asked. "What happened next?"

Chester's voice was bitter as he spoke. "Oogie Boogie returned, that's what… Jack defeated him years ago, ripping apart that sack of bugs like he was paper. Everyone in Halloween Town thought that he was finally dead… of course, soulless creatures like him almost never stay dead long enough to suit everyone else's liking…" he sighed. "The first thing Boogie did was unleash all of these… ghost things on us. No matter how much the law enforcement attacked them, they would _always_ regenerate faster than we could kill them. And their scream… their screams were horrible. In Halloween Town, we were used to screams, but those ones…"

_"They were screams of resentment," _Pikachu finished, forming an idea of what particular Subspace denizens they were. _"One part sadness and one part madness… they reflected all the pent up resentment for the world that many mortals have and they are actually the very symbol of a mind gone awry."_

"The Floows?" Pikana whispered. She remembered how they used to float around in her asylum room on particularly dark nights. They would torment her with their screams, increasing all the madness and the hate she had bottled up for years.

"Is that what they're called?" Chester remarked. "Well… yes, he unleashed these… Floows… many Halloween Town denizens were killed that night… many more were taken as prisoners…" he shook his head. "I was one of them… Jack was another…"

The air in the tunnel suddenly thickened at his words. Pikana found herself struggling for air.

"We were taken to Oogie Boogie's old hideout," Chester whispered. "One by one, we were brought in and tortured, right in front of Jack. He couldn't do a thing to save us. Some went mad… others died. As the youngest, I was the last to be brought out. Jack could only watch as Oogie Boogie… he did this to me…" he held up his skeletal arm as he ran. Pikana's sharp eyes were able to pick out strange little marks all over it, as if it had been carved into by a knife.

Pikana gasped. "Why would he do that?"

Chester smiled sadly. "I used to strive to be like Jack… well, Oogie Boogie saw doing this as a way to help me fulfill my dreams…" his voice was extremely bitter. "The next thing I knew, I felt nothing but pain… I wanted to die, Pikana… to be truly dead. Just so I could forget all of that."

"But how'd you get outta there? If Boogie wanted to skin you alive so bad, why did he only do your arm?"

"How else, Pikana?" Chester asked. "I was saved. In a last ditch effort, Jack was able to disassemble himself just so that he could save me. I watched him myself… he just leaped out of his bonds and grabbed onto Boogie. Oogie Boogie was caught by surprise, of course, so there was this struggle. All the while, Jack kept yelling at someone to take me and head to Smashville as quickly as possible. I don't know who… but someone grabbed me off the torturing plank and dragged me outside. I was taken to a tree where the tunnel to Smashville was already opened. But before I could get so much as a glance from my savior… they were gone. I had been shoved through the tunnel and the entrance sealed…"

_"The guy just ditched him?"_ Pikachu asked. _"That's not very nice…"_

"So… you just came here?" Pikana asked.

Chester nodded. "Yes… I did the only thing I could do at that time. I walked. I just walked on and on… I didn't need to eat or anything, which is good, but I have to admit that I would've killed for maybe a good cheeseburger or something while I was down here… I eventually surfaced in Smashville, at the very end of _this_ tunnel, in fact… just in time to see Mario, Link, Pikachu, Kirby, Ike, Marth, Fox, and Falco appear from the Smash Mansion and get into some planes. I didn't really understand what was going on at the time, but I was able to follow them by looking up at the trails of smoke those jets left in the skies…" his voice broke. "And I witnessed it… the whole thing. I could only stand in the shadows helplessly and watch as the Smashers fought a battle that it was obvious they'd never win. I later learned that they were only looking for some fellow Smashers that had gone missing a while before, but just standing there, young as I was, and unable to help-"

"YO! CHESTER! PIKANA!" Chi's voice echoed around the tunnel. "C'MON, GUYS! LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!"

Pikana suddenly found herself behind Chester as the undead teen picked up speed. Indeed, there was a bright light up ahead that grew in brightness and potency the closer they got to the exit. She could feel the lukewarm gray light on her fur, smell the ashy mixture in the air…

A pair of hands reached into the tunnel and picked her up by the waist. Her instincts caused her to release a stream of electricity that coursed through the veins of the person holding her. Rinku cried out and dropped her on the ground, waving his hands in the air.

"Goddess dammit, Pikana! You could've burnt my hands off!"

Pikana grinned. "Sorry Rinku, but if you touch this Chu, you get it!" she looked around. From the looks of things, everyone made it out more or less okay. The tortured ones were currently being tended to by Teal and Mars, but that was beside the point. Everyone else was scattered around the area, either telling the others what had happened on their respective adventures or looking at the weapons the other group had managed to steal.

"We don't have long until those Primids finally figure out we're out here," Crystal said, putting down the Sword of Seals she had been admiring. "Eric, Aly, Mars-"

"The planes are all ready," Mars yawned. He flipped a coin into the air. "If we're gonna leave, we should leave now. I don't want my paint job getting anymore ruined than it already is."

Teal's head snapped up. "Wait! We can't just leave Heather…"

Pikana frowned. "But if we wait for her, we mind as well just go turn ourselves into Tabuu… I say we leave…" she felt a twinge of guilt as she said this. "It's better if most of us get back up there than none at all…"

Teal looked around at the group. From his expression, Pikana could tell that there was no way he would willingly leave as long as Heather Wolfon was still trapped within the halls of Smash Mansion. But despite his pleading look, every single guardian in the vicinity shook their head. Even Nao, who Pikana knew had travelled with Teal for weeks, shook his head. An eerie silence fell upon the group as the reality of the choice they were making sank in.

_"Pikana, we have to go,"_ Pikachu said quietly. _"Don't you hear them? They're coming…"_

Pikana nodded. "Teal… as much as we want to go in and drag Heather out here… you heard her yourself… she said that if she doesn't come back out by the time we're all done with our missions, that means we should get the Hell out of here as fast as we can…"

Teal's bottom lip quivered slightly at her words. "I… I know… but-"

Eric stepped forward. "If you guys can squeeze into the other two ships, I can stay here and make sure Heather gets back okay."

Pikana frowned at Eric. He had never really struck her to be the type to outright volunteer for something like that. "Are ya sure, Eric? I mean… I had to _shock_ you to wake you up after Master Hand couldn't…"

Eric grinned tiredly. "Well… yeah, it's true that I'd rather be asleep right now, but if this promise can get Teal to go home and get some sleep, who am I to not make it?"

The corners of Teal's mouth twitched slightly. He obviously wasn't in a mood for jokes.

Aly looked at her teammate. "You sure about this, Eric? Are you even sure she's still…" her voice trailed off as she shot a glance at Teal.

"She's still alive," Eric confirmed. His eyes flashed amber for a second. "Lucario and I both agree."

Teal hesitated slightly before stepping forward and clapping Eric on the shoulder. "… Just… I… you…"

Eric laughed. "You're welcome, Teal… and yeah, I'll do everything I can to bring her back safely."

Teal smiled. "I… I'm just worried about-"

"Don't worry about me, alright? But seriously, you guys should go. I can only activate my cloaking device when your radios aren't messing with the signal."

Teal took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright… I trust you…"

Pikana grinned. "Since when have we haven't? C'mon Teal… time to go home…" she slipped her little paw into Teal's. "Don't worry. Heather will be back before you know it!" they both started slowly walking towards the waiting Arwings.

"Pikana…" Teal said quietly. "… How is it that half the time, you somehow remain so-"

"Awesomely crazy?" Pikana gave him a devilish grin. "Would you like lessons? My rates are only a thousand bucks a minute!"

Teal chuckled. "Perhaps… I'll consider it…"

* * *

She was known by many names. Today, "Witch", "Gerudo", and "Sexist Bitch" were among the ones she had been called. But in truth, there was only one name she would ever go by.

Arenafan Woundvictor.

From what she could gather from the Primids, she could deduce that there was some kind of explosion in the middle of this hallway. From the smell of things, said explosion charred the walls and the floor. But there was something else in the air. It was an icy coldness that pierced her skin and shook her bones raw. She was a woman who was used to the unbearably hot sands of the Gerudo Desert. She had the ability to sense even the smallest bit of ice…

She found the ice, as well as tiny pieces of what was left of a C4 or two as she rounded the corner. Though much of the ice had long been broken up into tiny shards and melted, quite of few particularly large and sharp shards had pierced some passerby Primids. They were now pinned against the wall, these Primids, the Shadow Bugs oozing out of them like so much blood.

Pathetic.

Arenafan's great yellow eyes swept the area, checking every nook and cranny around her. She didn't want to be ambushed, after all. She definitely didn't want to end up like those Primids.

After all, men were stupid enough to fall in battle. Women were the ones that would always pull through.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary- other than the ice and the impaled Primids- Arenafan turned to run for reinforcements. If there were guardians in the mansion, then…

"Hello, Arenafan."

She knew that voice. It was the voice of a certain young woman whom she had not seen in years. The last time they had come face to face, they crossed blades. After all these years, the Gerudo thought her to be dead. Despite her slight shock in finding her former opponent still alive, Arenafan's blood was set alight in anticipation. Finally, they could finish the battle they had begun so many years ago…

"Heather Wolfon," she growled, turning slowly to face the Scion of Rage. Heather had appeared from nowhere, a trick that the Gerudos had mastered as well. "You have no idea how… ecstatic I am to see you alive."

Heather's great orange eyes narrowed. "As am I… Arenafan…"

Arenafan noticed that Heather's hand never moved from the hilt of her sword. Instinctively, her own hand dropped to the curved Gerudo blade buckled at her waist. Any second from now, it would have to be used.

And this time, only one of them would escape alive.

"I remember our first battle," Arenafan whispered, her long fingers curling on the hilt of her sword. "Your swordswomanship was unlike any other… no man had ever withstood my blade like you did…"

"And you, Arenafan…" Heather murmured. Arenafan sensed the tiniest bit of rage creeping into her voice. Black Heather must have broken through Heather's control recently. "And you, Arenafan Woundvictor… you are the last of the Gerudo women."

Arenafan smiled tightly. "Ah… yes. It was you and your accursed sister, was it not, that was sent on that mission to wipe out my race?"

Heather's eyes narrowed. "Yes…"

Arenafan's smirk widened. "And wasn't it during our little spar that you lost-"

Heather flashed her metal limbs. "That is correct…"

For a moment, Arenafan noticed a small flash of gray behind Heather's eyes. She wondered what that was about. She had heard, of course, that when guardians were feeling particularly angry, their Smasher would show through for a moment. Since Arenafan hadn't seen Heather in years, she simply assumed that the Wolfon was dead. However, it just so _happened_ that she was here, when Tabuu was most obsessed over looking for those guardians…

Could it be…?

"I can only ask, Heather," Arenafan said lightly, keeping an ever wary hand on her curved Gerudo blade. "How did you survive? I believe we left you for dead after I managed to stab you to a bloody pulp…"

Heather's eyes darkened and for a moment, Arenafan froze in anticipation of Black Heather breaking through the Wolfon's mantle of control. However, whether she was going to allow Blackther out or not, Heather managed to keep any form of anger she had within her from showing. Arenafan relaxed slightly when the Wolfon spoke, assured that Blackther won't be making an appearance soon.

"… I was dying…" Heater whispered, her voice husky and dark. From the tone of her voice, she wasn't exactly planning to attack any time soon. Though Arenafan normally would have simply slit her throat wide open by now, that would have been dishonorable. She relaxed her grip on her sword. "I remember how I simply laid there… watching as blood pooled all around me… I knew… no… I _thought_ that I was to join my sister…"

Arenafan frowned. If Heather had lost that much blood, there was no way she could've survived. Though she was slightly stronger than most humans or Hylians, she was still a mortal being.

She should've died….

"But then…" there was a slight flash in Heather's eyes as her tone lifted just a little. "He saved me… Renegade, my master, saved me… it was the first time I met him... the first time I spoke to him… he took me to the village automail mechanic where these," she gestured to her metal limbs. "Were forged for me."

Arenafan frowned slightly. She had heard of the Renegade before, but it was only some small, obscure details. She knew that he had once been Heather's master and that he had died a while ago, but that was it.

"So, Miss Wolfon…" Arenafan whispered. "It all comes down to this, doesn't it…?"

Heather pursed her lips and nodded. "Indeed, Arenafan… we've begun something long ago… and today, it must be finished…"

Arenafan smirked again at her words. "It shall be an honor, Heather Wolfon, to cross blades with you again…"

Heather nodded. "Yes… and it shall be an honor for me to battle against you once again, Arenafan Woundvictor."

"I assure you, defeating me shall be no easy task," Arenafan crooned. "And once I claim my victory over you, I shall finally know what it is truly like to be the greatest swordswoman in all the known worlds…"

Arenafan watched something flicker behind Heather's eyes as she took in this information. "… At your ready, Arenafan…"

Her fingers curled once again around the hilt of her sword, Heather's doing the same as the women locked eyes. Arenafan's mouth curled into a snarl while Heather's steady gaze never wavered from her face. The Gerudo woman crouched slightly in a fighting stance, knowing that one miscalculated move could ruin her chances of finally defeating the ultimate opponent.

Arenafan knew that this was it. She and Heather both left that spar humiliated and angry years ago. She knew that they both had to be slightly irked, if not enraged, by the fact that neither was able to finish the other off. They had started something years ago…

And today, they were going to finish it.

With a cry loud enough to shake the earth itself, Arenafan leaped forward and brought her blade spinning down towards Heather's neck. At the same time, the Wolfon lifted her own blade just in time to intercept Arenafan's sword with a deafening _clang!_

Unfazed by the slight shock that traveled up her arm with the unexpected block, Arenafan immediately drove her sword towards the left side of Heather's chest, where she could almost hear the rapid beating of the Wolfon's heart. This time, Heather's metal right arm intercepted her blow, causing the Gerudo woman to leap back.

This time, Heather charged at her. In this battle, Arenafan knew, she had the advantage. She was swifter, much swifter than Heather was. She dodged the blow easily. Though Heather was possessive of powerful psychic abilities, she would never use them in this fight. The battle years ago had been nothing more than a battle of clashing swords.

So it had begun and so it would end.

_Clang!_

Their swords met once again as Heather went in for another blow. Arenafan swung her own blade around and attempted the famous Back Slice, a move that the legendary Hero of Twilight Link had used many years before. It took years to practice this and her main target was her enemy's weak point: the back of her left leg.

But then something went wrong. Arenafan aimed a slice at the back of Heather's leg, but then the Wolfon suddenly moved, causing the sword to merely graze her cape. Arenafan was caught by surprise for a moment, which allowed Heather to get in a single stabbed. The Gerudo woman only dodged just in time, so the blow only scraped her cheek. The cut wasn't deep, but blood flowed freely.

"HAH!" Arenafan shouted as she whipped around and slammed the hilt of her sword into Heather's stomach. The painful blow seemed to shake the Wolfon right to the bone, allowing Arenafan to smash the sharp blade of her sword right into Heather's left shoulder. She only barely missed her heart as the Wolfon had managed to move in a way that the deadly weapon missed it completely.

Arenafan felt more blood pouring down her shoulder as Heather's sword slammed into her right shoulder. Gritting her teeth through the searing pain, the Gerudo woman yanked her sword out of her foe and went in for the kill. Heather's pommel met her chest, sending her sprawling to the floor.

Then, she saw her chance. The blow Heather had given her had caused her to land facing a couple degrees from the sight of her left leg. Putting all the strength and energy she had left into this final blow, she slammed the tip of her sword into Heather's one weak point.

The Wolfon screamed. It was a scream filled with rage, pain, and all the woe she had bottled up for so long. As Arenafan yanked out her blade, the blood poured from the scarred flesh in torrents. Heather collapsed to her knees, still screaming as tears poured down her face. Her sword was stabbed hilt first into the ground.

Arenafan's adrenaline roared through her veins. This was _it_! She finally had her chance to take down her greatest foe once and for all. She started crawling, her eyes glowing, her lips curved into a triumphant smile. She slowly got to her knees and aimed her lightning fast blade right at Heather's heart.

_BAM!_

A shockwave ripped through the area, knocking Arenafan flying off her feet. As she landed on the ground, another shockwave sent her sprawling back. Her eyes widened in surprise. She was never told that Heather had _this_ power!

She watched in rage and hate as the Wolfon slowly got to her feet. With each inch she climbed, Arenafan felt a strange prickling sensation on a part of her body. At first, she brushed it off as it caused her little pain.

But then…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Arenafan's body contorted on itself as she clutched her knees, her arms burning as though she was being slowly roasted alive on a red hot flame. It was as though a thousand razor sharp blades were skinning her alive, a million needles were stabbing themselves into her body. Her bones shrieked, her muscles howled, her nerves were ripped to shreds.

This was pain beyond pain, no sword nor poison in the world could ever dream of bringing this much pain to anyone's body. This was the pain that ever man feared before going to his grave, the kind of pain that even death would not bring any relief.

Before Arenafan's half closed eyes, she could see the Wolfon standing above her, orange eyes flashing in either pity or triumph. Arenafan screamed one more curse into the sky as the millions of needles stabbed their way deeper into her flesh, ripping her nervous system to shreds. She watched through all this pain as Heather closed her eyes.

And then, it happened. It was as if a bomb exploded inside her. She felt her insides shriek and rip at themselves as they burned alive. A searing white hot heat seemed to leek from her eyes and fingernails. Her screams reached breaking point, threatening to shatter the very fabric of the universe with their volume and pain.

She could handle this pain, she told herself. She was a Gerudo woman, the last one alive. She had been the strongest and the most resourceful, that's why she was alive. She was going to break out of this and destroy Heather once and for all. She was going to make the Wolfon feel all of the pain she felt now and more.

And then…

And then…

And then…

_

* * *

_

_"C'mon you stupid horse…" he muttered, kicking its flanks. "Faster… FASTER, DAMMIT!"_

_"It won't do us any good if you abuse this thing!" the blonde girl sitting behind him shouted. Her soft voice was almost lost in the fierce roar of the flames behind them. Already the young man could feel the searing pain on the back of his neck, the one exposed part to the rush of the oncoming fire. _

"C'mon you stupid horse… FASTER!"

_They had left their base, their home, and their family behind. When the Primids and the Begnion Senators attacked, it was all too evident that they had to leave. The group of rebels that had been their family for so long were scattered across the city. Neither of them had any doubt that every single one of them had stayed to fight…_

_They fought… while **they** ran…_

"I'm sorry… I should have listened to you… I should have stayed…"

_Was it wrong for him to slightly relish the feel of her arms around his waist at this time? Probably, but who cared. In the middle of the battle, it was **he** that had saved her. She had been the only thing he had thought about right when the battle begun. He didn't care about beating up some Primids. He didn't care about taking revenge on the Senators of Begnion. Heck, he didn't care that he almost died saving her back there._

_All that mattered was that she was alive._

_The pounding of horse hooves on the earth behind them told the two that they were being pursued. It only took one arrow to sail past his ear for him to know that as long as they had to double up on the thin, not- very- healthy horse, they would be eventually overtaken and captured. He didn't give a damn what happened to him, but the girl…_

_He pushed those thoughts out of his mind and rode on._

"No… no… please… no… not her… anyone but her… ASHUNERA DAMMIT, TAKE ME INSTEAD!"

_A blast of fire, followed by more arrows soared overhead. Not only did they have Archers, but they had Mages as well! Despite the odds, he felt a tiny twinge of hope rise up in him. Archers were not nearly as deadly as Snipers or Marksmen. Mages were still inexperienced at magic and thus were nothing compared to the likes of Sages or Archsages. He felt reassurance bubble up within him at these thoughts._

_And then…_

"No… please…" a searing heat ran down his cheeks. "Please… please…"

_Fire. Blood red fire. Fire that was unlike any seen in this world._

_It was the fire that not even an Archsage would dare to cast. Legends had said that the spell was so powerful, one missed syllable could doom an entire city. But if the incantation was said right…_

_The fire was all over her. It merely caught onto the few strands of hair that escaped her Clerics' hood at first, but it spread. It consumed **everything**. Her hair, her arms, her face, her eyes…_

_All were being consumed by flames._

"Put it out… Ashunera, Goddess of Dawn, please…. PUT THE DAMN THING OUT!"

_Her charred fingers fumbled clumsily for the Restore staff attached to the saddle. Though she was able to touch it, it did her no good._

_She was too far gone._

_Her flesh curled and shriveled. Her muscles were seared white hot. Every fluid in her body boiled to a horrible degree. And no matter how hard he tried, how desperately he tried to put her out or at least spread the flames onto him as well so he may fall with her…_

_It was all for naught._

_"NO!" he reigned in his horse. He could see the faint lines of their pursuers fading away. Their task had been done. _

_One of the rebel leaders was dead._

"Cam…"

_He felt pain. It was a stab through his heart. It shattered everything he had come to know and love, from his soul to his very mind. She meant the world to him and now…_

"I'll get them… I'll kill them all…"

"Cam!"

_She burnt to ashes in his arms. Her last words had been nothing more than a croaked whisper. No matter how hard he strained his ears, he could never make them out. _

_He would never forget that look in her beautiful green eyes…_

"I'LL FUCKING HANG THEM BY THEIR TONGUES ON THE HIGHEST TOWER IN TELLIUS!"

"CAM!"

His eyes snapped open.

He wasn't kneeling alone in the middle of a barren field.

He was lying down in a bed in the Smash Base's makeshift infirmary.

There was no girl burning to death in front of him.

It was just a tired and concerned looking Xavier.

The healer yawned. "Geez Cam, keep it down… you woke up half the base…"

Cam took in deep gasps of air. "I… you… wha…?"

Xavier placed two fingers on Cam's wrist. "… Wow, you've got one Hell of a racing pulse… maybe those sedatives I gave you worked _too_ well…" he started digging around in the cupboards nearby, muttering to himself as he opened and closed each of them in turn.

Cam was still confused and slightly groggy from being woken up so abruptly. "Sedatives…? Wha…?"

_"Well, you wouldn't get enough sleep if they weren't given to you,"_ Ike pointed out. _"So, to give you the proper rest you needed, Xavier gave you a light dose… although…"_ the mercenary grimaced. _"By the looks of things, he should've given you something more or less stronger."_

Cam groaned. He was aching all over. Sweat poured down his face in torrents. His pulse was _still_ racing like a jackrabbit. He hadn't had a nightmare this bad in years.

_"… She must've meant a lot to you,"_ Ike said quietly. Cam felt him squirm slightly as he struggled to find the right words. _"I… your pain…"_

Cam scowled. "Like Mia? Yeah… we've both lost something, Ike…" he lifted his hand to his face and touched his cheek, realizing for the first time that his scarf had been taken off. "But unlike you… I hid myself away from everything because of it…"

It had been years since Cam had last exposed his face to the world. Ever since that horrid day, he had worn the red scarf the girl used to keep tied around her waist as a symbol of his atonement of his failure. During those years, his face had not changed much. He still had the hard lines of battle all over his cheeks and the soft lines of emotion that had long been robbed from him. His eyes were still the same old dark brown they always were.

And yet at the same time, he had changed so much…

_"You shouldn't hide your face because of… what happened, __Cam__…"_ Ike said quietly. _"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened to her."_

Cam touched the red scarf sitting by his bedside. Even after all these years, there were still the lightest traces of her golden hair and sweet smelling perfume on the dusty old cloth. "I know… but I… I just can't help it… I-"

"Cam?" Xavier walked up holding a vial of some kind of purple liquid. "I've made some better sedatives this time… I hope… anyways, this should be the dreamless kind. Just… just try not to freak out if you wake up high or something tomorrow, okay?"

Cam managed a small smile, despite the ache he felt at the memories that haunted him. "Thanks Xavier…" he gulped down the purple liquid. It tasted unbearably sour in his mouth, but he managed to swallow it. "Uh… you should get back to bed…"

Xavier frowned. "You sure? Because I really don't mind staying up. If it means that I can help you recover and everything and-"

Cam held up a hand. "Xavier, I've kept you up long enough. Besides, what kind of healer would you be if you were too tired to… heal people in the final battle?" he was starting to feel groggy. It was a struggle just to keep his eyes open.

Xavier sighed. "You aren't gonna budge either way, are you?" without even waiting for Cam to answer, he left. The sound of a door closing quietly off to the side indicated that the healer had gone back to bed.

Cam felt himself sinking deeper into the warm embrace of the waiting darkness. "… What a… night…" he yawned.

_"You know… you never told me what her name was…"_ Ike said quietly. It was evident that the mercenary would never get this information out of his guardian in the morning.

Cam racked his tired brains for the information. "Her name…?"

_"The girl,"_ Ike prompted gently. If there was any desperation in his voice, Cam was unable to tell. _"The name of the girl in your… dream."_

He struggled a bit, but found his voice. "Her name… right… her name… was… N-"

Everything went black.


	24. Bound by Blood

Bound by Blood

**Is it me or has this chapter come out faster than usual? Eh, I know for a fact that it's shorter! :D**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.**

* * *

"Can we go home now?" Eric complained. He had been wandering through the mansion for at least half an hour now and there was absolutely no sign of Wolf's Guardian. The Smash Mansion was a huge place and if he really was going to have to search the entire thing, it would take him days, weeks even.

His cloaking device would probably only last another hour.

_"Eric, you made a promise to Teal,"_ Lucario said sternly. _"It should be only natural that you keep it."_

"But I'm tired, my cloaking device is running out of juice, and I'm pretty sure that I don't wanna end up as chopped liver in Tabuu's next meal," Eric argued. He glanced nervously over his shoulder as footsteps echoed around the mansion's halls. Uncertain whether or not those footsteps belonged to him or something else, he started treading lightly. "Besides, I bet Heather can handle herself. If she needs to get back, she can always walk… or run…"

_"A vow is a vow, Eric,"_ Lucario said simply. _"And kindly don't attempt using the running into Smasher bodies excuse."_ he added.

Eric nervously fingered the Smashball in his pocket, not for the first time feeling the temptation to crush it so he was at least ready if there was a surprise attack. Lucario had said that once he crushed it, the power would remain in him until he chose to unleash it. Once done, he would be completely unstoppable for at least a couple of seconds.

However, with such great power, there was always a price to pay. Using the Smashball would greatly drain his energy store, the Pokemon had said. In addition, the Smashball power wasn't nearly as potent as it used to be. If Eric ever intended on at least blasting this god forsaken mansion away, he would need a lot more Smashballs to do that.

Well, that meant he had to do things the hard way.

He closed his eyes and checked the aura wafting all around him. In a place as sprawling and maze-like as the Smash Mansion, it was extremely difficult for Eric to be able to pick out one aura from another. The deep purple aura of the Primid and the dank gray aura of the slaves seemed to mesh together into a indiscernible mass. Though it should've been easy to pick out Heather's deep red aura from all of this bleakness, the mere size of the Smash Mansion was more than enough to confuse both Eric's and Lucario's senses.

_"I cannot sense her either, Eric," _Lucario said, answering an unasked question. _"We will have to stay here for quite a while if this keeps up…"_ he paused. _"… I truly hope that your stealing abilities are up to scratch. You may need to resort to stealing food from the pantries."_

Eric grimaced. The idea of having to attempt to sneak into the kitchen to steal things didn't really appeal to him. Frankly, he didn't even know how long his cloaking device would last. It was still a prototype, after all. "You know, I'll bet Ridere's cooking up something great back at the base… If it comes to it, I think I'll-"

_"Eric…"_ Lucario said dangerously. In spite of himself, Lucario's Guardian sighed. The jackal Pokemon was right. If he abandoned Heather here, he would be just as bad as Tabuu.

"So what's the plan, Lucario?" Eric asked as he stopped in the middle of an intersection between two hallways. One smelled like it led to the factories while the other was dark and completely silent. Instinct told Eric that he should head for the darker hallway, since Heather was most likely going to battle this Gerudo woman where not many people would interrupt.

_"Hm… I am currently sensing a sudden uprising in black aura heading towards the end of the darker hallway,"_ Lucario reported. _"Such a thing shouldn't happen, unless-"_

It hit him. "Unless… unless there's something… or some_one_ there that could cause something like that…" Eric charged into the second hallway, not caring that his boots were making a huge amount of noise as they thundered towards the source of the sudden uprising.

He kept his aura vision on at all times as he ran, checking desperately for even the smallest tinge of dark red. It was absolutely vital that he made it to Heather before the mass of jet black aura did. One wrong move and it would be all over. Even if he and the Scion of Rage were forced to team up against the possessed Smasher bodies, there was no way that either of them would survive.

There it was! He saw a bright flash of red right in the center of this hallway. By the looks of things, the Wolfon would be completely surrounded by the possessed Smashers if she was not warned of the danger soon. There was also a rather large gold- colored mass on the floor, possibly the Gerudo woman Heather had talked about. Her aura flickered and waned, showing that its owner was on the very brink of death. Eric redoubled his speed.

"Heather!" he shouted as the bright flame of the Wolfon's aura grew brighter. "Heather, come on! We have to get ou-" he skidded to a stop. His aura vision faded.

He was too late…

All 40 Smashers of old surrounded Heather in a large circle, but not nearly large enough for her to make any kind of escape. Many of them were carrying weapons painted jet black from Shadow Bugs and as Eric watched, each weapon began to glow a deep red. Lucario had told him that his soul had been ripped from his body after he had been blasted by a red light. Now it was all too evident that Tabuu had somehow harnessed this power from the Shadow Bugs and had no passed it on to the weapons his legendary soldiers wielded in battle.

On the floor was the completely limp body of a woman. She was built in exactly the way Cimar and Rinku had described the Gerudo women to be built: tall, tan, and willowy. A blood curved blade lay next to her blood covered hand, more blood gushing through a gaping wound in her chest. In spite of himself, Eric recoiled from the gory sight.

At the sound of his voice echoing off the walls of the mansion, a few of the Smashers- namely Lucario, Red, and Bowser- looked around to check for the source. Thanks to Eric's cloaking device, he was completely hidden from their sight at the moment. As for Heather herself, Eric saw her eyes widen as she listened. Her great orange eyes quickly flicked around the circle of Smashers surrounding her, as if she was trying to search for the young pilot.

_"We cannot allow ourselves to be touched by any of those,"_ Lucario said sharply as Eric reached for his gun. _"One touch and **your** soul will be forfeit as well. Unfortunately, I do not believe Tabuu will see you fit enough to possess."_

"But we can't just stand here and let _her_ soul get taken either," Eric argued quietly. Again, his voice created a slight stir in the Smashers. Even at a whisper level, it echoed ominously off the walls.

_"Not possible,"_ Lucario shook his head. _"I am afraid that even if we try fighting with her, my fellow Smashers will easily overpower you both. What we need right now is to quickly return to the base and call for reinforcements. Once that is done, then-"_

"Lucario, then Heather's going to be completely screwed. Look, if we can just crush our Smashballs and create enough distraction among the Smashers, we'll be able to escape…"

_"You do not understand, Eric. You are only allowed to have one Smashball! Until we finally defeat Tabuu once and for all, Master Hand is unable to make more! You must save your Smashball for the final battle against our foes."_

"If Heather and I don't get the Hell out of here now, there won't be any final battle for us," Eric hissed. His hand dived into his pocket, where the precious Smashball pulsed. A warm energy washed through him as his fingers enclosed the sphere.

_"Eric, no,"_ Lucario said gruffly. _"I shall not allow you to do this!"_

Eric's fingers tightened on the Smashball. Already he could feel the colorful protective covering caving in under his strength. "I'm sorry, Lucario… but it has to be done…" he closed his eyes and tightened even more. His pocket began to glow. His pulse started to race. The sphere began to quake…

_"ERIC! LISTEN! HEATHER IS SPEAKING!"_

"I see… it must come down to this, doesn't it?" Heather's voice cut through Eric's concentration. He released his hold upon the ball. Not wanting to miss anything, he quickly checked his pocket. He had managed to create the tiniest of cracks upon the Smashball.

The Smashers surrounding her said nothing, flashing their deadly weapons in front of them. Eric noticed that as they did so, Heather's hand dived into her pocket and stayed there, knowing that that was the very pocket where she kept her own Smashball. He only had a second to react as she yanked it out of her pocket and held it aloft.

"HEATHER, NO!"

She crushed it. The multicolored energy from the Smashball filled her as soon as the shards disintegrated in her fingers. She stood up, her eyes glowing bright yellow as the Smashers recoiled from her light. A fire flashed in her eyes that sent fear into the hearts of everyone present. He could practically feel the intense heat simply radiating off her. It was as if her rage was manifesting itself into a new form. He saw flashes of everything he had ever held dear reflected from deep within the Scion's fiery eyes and shivered.

He knew it was coming before it came. It was just as the old legends foretold…

"LANDMASTER!"

_"Eric, get out of the way!"_ Lucario shouted just as something huge and black fell from nowhere. Eric dived just in time to get out of the way of the giant black and red tank. From the sound of things, the Smashers had jumped and proceeded to attempt to break into the tank with their weapons. But the Landmaster held too strong for their weak attempts.

It was a horrible looking machine indeed. Built to look exactly like Wolf's old Landmaster, this one had a black body with red streaks upon it. Adorning the canon head was a Hylian symbol that stood for "rage". It was built for defense and- as soon was proven to Eric- packed almost as powerful a punch as Wolf's.

It was well known and studied among the people who managed to escape the clutches of Tabuu that Fox, Falco, and Wolf each had their own Landmasters. It was also well known that though that all three Landmasters were the same in each respect, there were a number of differences- aside from color- that the Landmasters possessed that set them apart from one another. Falco's was faster, Wolf's was stronger, and Fox's was generally balanced between the two. Also, while Fox's and Falco's lasted 15 seconds on the field, Wolf's only lasted 10. There were a number of other differences too, but those were the basics.

Eric backed up against the wall, fear welling up inside him as Heather's powerful tank thundered past. The sheer tremors of the ground as it moved was enough to rattle his bones to the very core.

_BZZT!_

He watched as a powerful electric blast of red light shot right out of the cannon on top and slammed into the possessed body of Wolf O' Donnell. The lupine had no time to cry out as he fell to the floor. The couple of Smashers standing next to him reflexively leaped backwards as their comrade hit the floor with an echoing _bang!_

_"Heather… the final smash…"_ Lucario was having trouble speaking. Then again, Eric realized, so did he.

_BAM!_

This next blast was directed at Link, who easily avoided it and slammed his sword directly into the cannon itself. Quick as a flash, Heather's utilized a barrel roll to shake him off, slamming into even more Smashers as she did so. The Fire Emblem trio ran forward and each tried jamming their swords into three different spots on the Landmaster, but they proved no match for Heather's cannon. Three bodies were sent flying off down the hall.

_"ERIC, WATCH OUT!"_

Eric only just roll- dodged in time to avoid a flying sword. Now that Marth was no longer wielding Falchion, the blade he held- or once held in this condition- was jet black and created from the very essence of Shadow Bugs themselves. The blade gave off an aura that could only be called "evil". From the looks of it, one tiny cut and any mortal's soul would be ripped to shreds. Eric backed away from it as quickly as he could, his focus shifting from the unfolding battle to the various weapons and things falling all around him.

Heather's Landmaster whirled around and leveled its blaster at Pit, who had flown up and was now aiming a stab at its cannon. Eric smirked at this action, knowing that once a blast connected with the angel, it was all over.

But then…

The Landmaster started fading. It had barely been out ten seconds and now it was fading. It was at this moment that Eric noticed how much like Wolf's this great machine was. It was powerful, yet slow. He had no doubt that it would have trouble getting into the air. Heather's last line of defense against every Smasher in the mansion was fading right before his eyes and there was nothing he could do about it.

_"Eric, beware!"_ Lucario warned. _"My body still possesses my aura powers! And there is no way for you to prevent me from seeing you!"_

At that same moment, Heather landed on the ground, wobbling on her feet. Eric could easily see that she was weak, too weak to take a stand against the Smashers still standing. In fact, while the Landmaster was still on the field, Heather had only managed to hit Wolf. The Smasher was still lying on the ground, unmoving. But from the slight rising and falling of his chest, both Eric and Lucario could see that he was alive.

_"It seems that she can't fight much longer,"_ Lucario observed. Indeed, Heather was leaning on her long sword like a crutch. _"We will have to return to the base soon…"_

"Earlier, you said that I wasn't going to go home without her," Eric muttered irritably. As much as he had wanted to save Heather, something inside had told him that no matter how quickly he got here, he could provide no help for her.

Smasher and Guardian watched in dismay as the Wolfon crumpled to her knees, her great sword falling from her grip. Quick as a flash, Link's Clawshot was wound around her wrists and it was not long until the second one latched onto her ankles. Finally, Ganondorf's body easily lifted the limp form of Heather onto his shoulder as the Smashers all raised their fists in triumph.

"We're so screwed…" Eric whispered, watching as the second oldest Guardian was dragged away. There were many things Tabuu wished to do to each of the Guardians, he knew, but there was no telling what would happen if Heather was brought before him. She had obviously been a thorn in his side once before and to have her brought before the Subspace Lord, weakened and vulnerable… Eric shuddered at the thought.

"… What am I going to tell Teal?" Eric muttered to himself as he watched the Smashers leave. Wolf's body, which was still on the ground, gave a shuddering sigh. Quick as a flash, Eric had his gun out and an Aura Sphere ready to be thrown. When the body made no sign of getting up and attacking him, he dispelled the sphere but held the gun aloft.

Eric could feel Lucario studying Wolf's body with a critical eye. From reading his thoughts, the pilot could tell that the Pokemon was currently checking Wolf's aura. There was something… off about it, according to Lucario, but whether or not it was off in a good way, he did not know. At the moment, Lucario's silence was starting to get on Eric's nerves. The longer he stayed here, the more vulnerable he was to an attack.

If he was caught off guard…

_"Eric, look at his aura and tell me what you see,"_ Lucario ordered. Eric jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. An ice cold hand gripped onto his heart, causing him to start shivering all over. If Wolf were to somehow recover and jump at him, there was no way he could avoid or even stop the attack.

"You're kidding, right?" he whispered, staring at the body. Even though his cloaking device was in place and working quite well, it would be useless against Wolf's keen sense of smell. "He'll rip me to pieces!"

_"He won't rip you to pieces,"_ Lucario insisted. From his tone of voice, the Smasher was obviously a bit annoyed. _"But I know for a fact quite a few Primids wouldn't mind doing so if you do not simply follow my instructions!"_

"Fine, fine, fine," Eric mumbled, lowering his gun. After deactivating his cloaking device, he blinked once and "turned on" his aura vision.

For a moment, he saw nothing, save for the jet black aura of the Primids that shuffled about behind the walls in front of him. Like the aura of Tabuu himself and the Shadow Bugs, the Primids' aura showed their mindset of total obedience to one intelligent being and an insatiable thirst for bloodshed. This, combined with the cruel, emotionless pulse of the aura as it flowed around them, was enough for make a recipe for pure evil. Though seemingly harmless, it was all too obvious from reading their aura that these were truly dangerous enemies. No matter how many times you killed them, they would just keep coming back again and again and again and again…

_"Observe the aura pulsing on the ground right in front of you, Eric,"_ Lucario ordered. _"Tell me what you see. Does **that** look like Subspace scum to you?"_

Eric now turned his attention to the floor, where a patch of gray was swimming around the sea of black. Though not very different from the black aura surrounding it, this gray aura pulsed with something that the others didn't have: life. Compassion... Emotion…

Humanity…

"Oh God," Eric started trembling. "It can't be… he's-"

_"He must be woken up immediately,"_ Lucario said. _"There is no telling what will happen if we simply leave him like this. His eyes will give everything away and he will either be destroyed or repossessed in an instant!"_

Eric quickly turned off his aura vision and knelt down, picking up one of Wolf's clawed hands in the process. After making sure he could feel the faint pulse upon the lupine's wrist, the young pilot proceeded to slap the Smasher in the face in an attempt to wake him up.

_"Harder, Eric,"_ Lucario glanced worriedly over his Guardian's shoulder. _"You don't have much time. I can sense a small group coming. And if they find either of us-"_

"Wake up, damn you," Eric hissed. He now abandoned his slapping and simply grabbed both of Wolf's shoulders. He started shaking him. "Wake up!"

Before he knew what had happened, Wolf's claw shot out and raked Eric right across the cheek. The pilot recoiled, eyes watering slightly as the sharp pain seared across his skin. He grabbed Wolf by the wrist in a vice-like grip, fearing that his and Lucario's assumption had been wrong.

For the first time since he had been blasted by Heather's powerful cannon, the lupine opened his eyes. The possessed Smashers' eyes had long ago turned yellow to show that they had Shadow Bugs flowing in their veins, but at this moment, Wolf's eyes were nothing like them. They were the all too familiar sharp blue eyes that had not been seen in over a hundred years. Eric, shocked by this change, immediately dropped the other pilot's claw.

_"He has returned…"_ Lucario whispered, his voice wondering. _"His aura is exactly that of a hundred years ago…"_

Eric watched as Wolf experimentally flexed his claws. It was strange to see one of the fiercest of Smashers like this. He was acting like a young infant that was just learning how to use his limbs properly. Then again, he realized, it _had_ been a hundred years since he had a body to call his own.

"W-Wolf…" Eric said hesitantly. He and Wolf locked eyes as he spoke. "W-Wolf… are you…?"

He watched as a roguish grin slowly made its way across the lupine's face.

"I'm back, bitches!"

* * *

Eclipse leaned against the wall and watched as dim gray light broke through the heavily caked clouds along the horizon. He shivered slightly as a breeze wafted its way through the tiny crack in his window. Despite not having any sort of timepiece to tell him, he knew exactly what time it was.

Dawn.

Dawn represented hope. It was the time when a rooster's crow welcomed the coming day. It represented another step in life, another pace closer to- or farther away from- your hopes and dreams. Currently, Eclipse knew for a fact that the hopes and dreams of the Guardians lay in the hands of a group of ragtag teens who had hoped against all hope that they would be able to save their friends from the very core of evil in this world: the Smash Mansion.

_"It's pretty, isn't it?"_ Mima asked. She had appeared to him not long after he managed to… fart his way to victory. For the past few hours, she and Wario had done nothing but argue.

_"Bah! Who cares about the sun? Wario wants money! Money is ten times better than the sun!"_

_"But the sun brings light! And you need light for photosynthesis! And without photosynthesis-"_

_"Stop! You're making Wario's brains melt!"_

"Why don't you both shut up?" Eclipse muttered, reaching under his bed. Though he had hoped against all hope that the garlic eating "plumber" and the witch would quiet down, it was all too obvious that they wouldn't. Trying his best to push the arguing spirits to the back of his mind where he wouldn't hear them, he groped around until his hand touched a long, smooth box. Smiling quietly to himself, he pulled it out.

Music was important to him. It filled him with hope when he felt down. It brought meaning and color to the gray world Tabuu had created. There were even times when he played the violin that he would forget that horrible day when he was forced to leave his home behind, the even more horrible night when the shard of Tabuu's wing pierced his chest.

The day when his curse became completely unbearable.

He pulled out the small instrument and experimentally plucked a string. A high note rang out, echoing around the room. Frowning, he adjusted the tuning slightly and tried again. Once he was done making sure that his violin was as in tune as possible, he picked up the bow and strummed his first note…

"HOLY VIOLIN, PICHO! IT'S A VIOLIN!" someone shouted from the door. Eclipse glared up at it just in time to see a certain sparkling shirt disappear around the doorframe. Scowling, Wario's Guardian adjusted the strings once more and placed the bow on the strings. He tried again…

"HOLY GIRLY INSTRUMENT, PICHN! ECLIPSE PLAYS A GIRLY INSTRUMENT!" this time, Eclipse looked up to see a mess of black hair disappear.

"Will you two please leave me alone?" he demanded. He felt the strings of madness pulling at him, but he just barely beat them back down.

Don't wanna give in, after all.

When neither twin replied, Eclipse assumed that they were gone. Mima and Wario were now arguing over garlic bread, so they would be of no help to him. Picking out a song to play, he placed his bow and carefully played an E flat...

Nothing happened.

_"Oh God, you're not going to play another freaking Mozart, are you?"_ Mima complained. Eclipse scowled and whacked the side of his head with his bow in hopes of hitting Mima.

Big mistake. "OW!"

_"Why? Why must Wario be stuck with an idiot for a Guardian?"_

_THWACK!_

"YEOWCH!" Eclipse rubbed his temples. "You two stop making me hit myself already!"

_"It's not our fault! You're the one stupid enough to hit yourself!"_

_"Stop blaming Wario when that stupid bitch over there is the real blame!"_

"SHUT UP!" Eclipse whacked himself again. If the blow jarred the two arguing spirits at all, they showed no sign it did.

"HOLY HITTING HIMSELF, PICHO! ECLIPSE IS HITTING HIMSELF!"

"Will you two stop bothering me?" Eclipse glared at the door. He could hear the laughter on either side of the doorframe.

Keep the madness down…

Biting his lip in an attempt to keep his anger under check, Eclipse strummed the opening bar lines of Pachabel's Canon. It was a lovely piece, one that would not be missed at weddings. He enjoyed playing its complicated rhythms and great leaps, so much in fact-

"Holy boring music, Pichn! He's playing boring music!"

"That he is, Bro," Pichn agreed as he cheerfully walked into the room. Picho, who was tossing a small ball of Ness' PK Fire back in forth between his hands followed him. Both boys gave Eclipse identical evil grins.

"What, so you two think you can play this song better than I can?" Eclipse snapped. He hated it when his music was insulted in this way.

_"Careful Eclipse, these two aren't worth it,"_ Mima said warningly. She observed both boys carefully, taking in their youthful, unlined features that signified fun loving personalities. _"They look like the type that would just love to come back for revenge…"_

Picho snorted. "Play better? We can just _pick_ a better song than the boring crap you're trying to entertain us with!"

Eclipse snorted. "Well, if you think you can think of a better song, go ahead!"

Picho and Pichn exchanged looks. Then they both hummed a note.

"He's gonna take you back to the past!" Picho sang.

"To play the shitty games that suck ass!" Pichn continued.

"HE'D RATHER HAAAAAAAVE A BUFFALOOOOOOO TAKE A DIARRHEA DUMP IN HIS-"

"SING THAT SONG AND I SWEAR, I WILL CASTRATE YOU SO BAD THAT- ARGH!"

Xavier opened the door to the infirmary. "Sorry about that. Cam's having some weird reactions to the sedatives I made for him." he shrugged. "Maybe I'm putting too little caffeine in it… or sugar… maybe I should put more sugar…" he continued mumbling to himself as he closed the door.

"Well, that has got to be the worst song I've ever heard," Eclipse said smugly as he picked up his violin again. "Nothing compared to the music I play. In fact-"

"I WANT TO BE THE VERY BEST!" Picho interrupted.

"NO! No singing that song in this base!" Lin shouted as she walked by.

_"Aw… but I like that song…"_ Mima grumbled.

Eclipse's smirk widened. "You see, children, real music comes form the soul. It is something that-"

Pichn jumped up and down. "DUCK TALES! WOOHOO!"

Eclipse slammed his hand over the boy's mouth. "Do… not… sing… that!"

Mima and Wario both ran around inside his head screaming their heads off. Evidently, just those two lines were enough to get the song stuck in their head.

Pichn looked at his brother. Picho smirked and nodded. Ripping Eclipse's hand off his face, Kirby's Guardian took a deep breath and…

"DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'!"

"HOLD ON TO THAT FEELIN'!"

"STREET LIGHTS! PEOP-"

"THAT'S IT! GET OVER HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!" Eclipse grabbed his masamune out of nowhere and slashed it at the boy. Pichn nimbly dodged as Picho grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room. Both boys were laughing their heads off.

_"Eclipse, no!"_ Mima shouted. _"They're only boys!"_

"THEY'RE NOT BOYS, MIMA! THEY'RE EVIL! EVIL!" Eclipse gave chase. He could see the two young Guardians at the end of the hall. They were running as fast as they could and laughing their heads off.

_"Wario says you just fart at them!"_ Wario insisted. _"It makes them fall on the ground… and SUFFER!"_

_"No! That's too mean!"_ Mima argued.

_"But then you can get your daily **fart** out!"_

Eclipse finally found the two boys hugging Sakura and (fake) sobbing into her. "THERE YOU ARE YOU-"

Picho jumped. "It's him! He wants to kill us, Miss Sakura! Don't let him kill us! We have so much to live for!"

Pichn gave her the puppy dog eyes. "We've been good! Honest! We even picked flowers for you and tonight, we were going to bake cookies!" his bottom lip quivered. "We don't wanna die before we can finish the cookies!"

"And we wanna save the whales!"

"And then we were going to… uh… bake more cookies!"

"And then we were gonna try helping you guys save the world!"

"And… um… bake even more cookies!"

Eclipse twitched. Those two were obviously doing the "innocent little angels" trick. And by the look on Sakura's face as she glared at him, it was working quite well. Eclipse scowled and put away his sword.

He would get them later.

"Honestly Eclipse, why would you want to harm them? They're so adorable!" Sakura said as she watched Picho and Pichn run off.

"They're _evil_…" Eclipse grumbled.

Before Sakura could answer, she was immediately cut off by the sound of huge jets landing outside. Eclipse could almost feel the tension in the air as the planes landed outside. Looking out the window, he counted only the Sky Claw and the Arwing.

"Where's… where's Eric's Wolfen…?" Eclipse asked, not knowing that half of the Guardians in the base at the moment were also asking that.

_"Don't just stand there!"_ Mima hissed. _"Get out there and find out what's going on!"_

_"Those people don't look too happy,"_ Wario noted. _"Maybe we should get some garlic while we're at it. Wario could use a garlic pick- me- up!"_

By the time Eclipse and Sakura managed to get out of the base, a number of Guardians were already there. MS and Miles immediately grabbed Green as he hobbled out of the plane and started punching him. Evidently, they were rather ticked that he had them worried so much. Wario's Guardian also couldn't help but notice that MS was also using this as an excuse to show Green his new red beam katanas.

The weapons group was handing out the numerous weapons they could find. Eclipse recognized Ragnell, the Sword of Seals, and Falchion among them. When Rinku pulled a certain yellow motorcycle out of nowhere, he could've sworn that Wario let out a happy little fart at the sight of it. Also among the weapons were the Kokiri Sword, Galaxia, Samus' plasma ray, the three anthromorphic animals' blasters, and even a chest full of Chaos Emeralds. As each weapon was placed upon the ground, Eclipse could only gain a second- long glance at it before it was snatched up by the Guardian it belonged to.

Nao and Teal were both trying to help Sam out of the plane. Xavier, who had run out immediately upon seeing the planes, was having an animated chat with Teal about healing methods. From what Eclipse could gather from the few words that reached him, Sam was suffering from an infection of a wound he had received while being tortured. If not treated immediately, it would fester and lead to something much worse.

JB and Drake were both being supported by Mah and Chester respectively. By the looks of things, JB was gasping desperately, as if he could never get enough air into his lungs. Drake, on the other hand, had set his jaw and was trying to walk upright, despite the limp in his right leg. From the bloodstains on Game and Watch's Guardian's clothes, it was easy to tell that wherever he had been, he _had_ been stabbed in one way or another all over his body.

Joe had to literally be carried out. Master Hand had to float down and allow Aly and Mars to load him onto the giant palm. It was strange to see the pilot, who had practiced his Falcon Punch over and over again over the past couple of days, looking so defeated. His limbs hung off of him like they were made of rubber.

Chi was the last of the kidnapped ones to come out. He was rather shaky on his feet, but Beeh and Pikana were both there to grab him if he fell. Aside from the shakiness and the fact that both his eyes were swollen and red, he seemed to have suffered the least out of all the kidnapped Guardians. Eclipse now turned his attention to the open doors of the two Arwings, waiting in anticipation for the two Guardians that were still not celebrating among the group.

Nothing.

"Where's Heather? Where's Eric?" those two questions rippled throughout the group of Guardians that did not go on the mission. All eyes turned on the Guardians that _did_ go. Some of those Guardians shifted uncomfortably while others lowered their eyes. Finally, it was Kage that spoke up.

"We were forced to leave Heather behind… we didn't have any choice. If we stayed a moment longer, they Primids would catch up to us and _none_ of us would be here right now…"

"Eric stayed behind to wait for her," Fyre added. "But we haven't heard a thing from him. If either of them were caught…" he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"Nice people no come home?" Crazy Hand said in disbelief as he floated outside. "Good peoplez no come home and bake cookiez?"

Aly looked at the giant left hand. "Sorry Crazy, but since Eric isn't coming back, I'll take those cookies!"

"NOEZ! DA COOKIEZ ARE FOR NICE PEOPLEZ ONLY!"

"Let's get another rescue mission going, then!" Lin said, running forward. She was already unbuckling Charizard's Pokeball from her belt. "I'm game!"

"We can't," Kage told her, giving her a sad shake of the head. "Aly and Mars said that their planes don't have enough fuel to make another trip."

"The skies are also crawling with those stupid cloud and ghost things right now anyways," Mars said as he came up to the group. From the look of his face and clothes, he had been changing the oil. "If we're ever going to get in the air again, it'll be during the final battle. I've had enough plane rides to last a lifetime."

"But we need to-"

"There will be no more rescue missions today," a strong voice said from behind Eclipse, a note of finality ringing in it. The Guardian of Wario didn't need to turn around to know that it was Master Hand, who had just come back from putting Joe into the makeshift infirmary. "I will _not_ risk another batch of Guardians again before the final battle."

"Master Hand, Eric and Heather could be dying for all we know," Chester argued. There was a strange expression on his face that Eclipse couldn't quite recognize. "I know we're all exhausted and everything, but-"

"But it's too dangerous, Chester," Master Hand said firmly. As the hand brushed past him, Eclipse felt a stabbing pain in his chest.

"N-No…" he stammered, taking deep breaths in an attempt to reduce the pain. This had happened to him before only a few hours earlier when he was alone in his room. Tabuu had spoken to him then. The Subspace Lord had taunted him, laughing at his every attempt to wrench the shard from his chest and cast it away.

_"Eclipse, no!"_ Mima shouted.

_"Don't let that bastard get in here again! Wario almost pissed his pants last time he was here!"_

"I-I-I…. c-can't…" Eclipse was struggling just to keep his hold on the outside world. Everything, from the landscape to the hands to the Guardians were starting to distort and fade before his eyes. He was once again starting to descend into the inky blackness where his connection with Tabuu would reach breaking point.

The very brink of the madness within him.

"We have no choice but to wait for Eric's return," Master Hand continued. Eclipse found it harder to hold onto his words with each passing second. "He has a ship of his own. He has enough fuel to make it back. If he survives the Smash Mansion, I have no doubt that he _will_ return."

It was a struggle to even hold onto Master Hand's voice. It was the small thread by which he hung by that prevented him from totally blacking out. The more Eclipse struggled, the harder it became. He could only faintly hear Mima's and Wario's urgings…

_"You're not going to try attempting another pathetic little rescue mission, are you?"_ the high, cold voice pierced his thoughts.

_"Mama mia! Not you again!"_ Wario snarled. _"Get outta here before Wario kicks your ass!"_

_"Wario, shut up!"_ Mima hissed. Eclipse was starting to get a headache. _"You're only making it worse!"_

"W-What… do you w-want…?" Eclipse's voice was so quiet that none of the other Guardians heard it. At the moment, from what he could gather, Master Hand was relaying plans for the final battle. It was crucial that he listened to these.

But everything he knew, Tabuu knew as well.

_"I see that you are reluctant to listen to your so- called leader,"_ there was a definite sneer in Tabuu's voice. _"What's wrong? Afraid that you will accidentally allow your pathetic plans to slip into my hands?"_

"Get out of my head," Eclipse hissed. He could feel his entire body trembling with the effort of staying conscious. "You're not welcome here… get out of my head… get out of my head and I'll make sure your end will come slowly…"

_"Your pathetic efforts amuse me, Eclipse,"_ Tabuu continued. The Subspace Lord was obviously ignoring the not- very- subtle threat. _"How you Guardians, no matter how many blows you take, remain ghastly loyal to each other and that idiotic floating limb you call a leader. How though you are hopelessly outnumbered and weak, you insist to stay and fight me. How though your Smashers have been nothing but burdens to you all this time, you continue to bear them with pride…"_

_"Wario is not a burden!"_ Eclipse's Smasher snapped angrily. There was a _thump!_ as Mima silenced him by hitting him over the head.

_"You haven't yet showed your true form to the others yet, have you?"_ Tabuu mused. _"How amusing… you insist to be working for the better and yet you continue to poison your words with lies… how long until they see what you really are, I wonder…"_

"Get out…"

_"And now we come to the reason why I am here… Eric and Heather… Guardians of Lucario and Wolf… a weak young pilot and a complete psychopath…"_ he laughed. _"What shall you do about them? What will happen when I finally get my hands on them? Those questions and more can be answered if you all just merely turn yourselves in. I shall be merciful… I shall allow you to live… one or two may be annihilated because of utter defiance… but every single one of your fellow Guardians is very, very valuable to me…"_

"GET OUT!"

_"You amuse me so, Eclipse… so amusing…"_

Tabuu's voice faded away quickly, leaving Eclipse with only an intense burning in his chest. He could hear shouts from the other Guardians as they finally noticed his condition. He felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him, dragging him to who knows where. But all of that was nothing compared to what he felt.

His chest was on fire. The pain he felt spread like a net, completely covering his entire body. It was eating away at his flesh, ripping his nerves to shreds. Whatever that was left of his consciousness was slowly slipping away now.

He felt himself being thrown on the ground…

His coat, his hat… ripped off…

Screaming…

No…

* * *

Wolf took a deep breath. He knew that for this plan to work, he had to be the best actor possible. It was bad enough that he had to pretend to be completely under Tabuu's control and all of that, but standing here like a useless mutt was just horrible. Did Tabuu do this to his Smashers every day? Make them stand next to that stupid chair he called his throne and wait for _something_ to happen?

Then again, he knew that in order for this to work, he had to be the best actor he could possibly be. One slip up and it would all be over for both him and the Guardians. It was absolutely imperative that he break Heather out as soon as possible. At the same time, he also had to learn what Tabuu was planning for the upcoming final battle. The only thing he knew at the moment was that it would take place in about three days time upon the plain where the first Smashers fell. He shuddered inwardly at the thought, knowing that that place would have a very, very negative effect on that first group of Smashers.

Eric had told him that if he needed any sort of backup, he should call immediately. That's why he had a telecom in his ear hidden in such a way that anyone looking at his ear would think it was just part of his scouter. Apparently, even when his body was under Tabuu's control, he and the other two pilots had continued to wear their scouters. Wolf wasn't really sure if it was just because Tabuu was too lazy to make them take it off or because some part of them still lived within them.

The lupine blinked several times as he surveyed the room, still unused to the yellow film on his eyes. Eric had to use Lucario's aura powers to create the illusion that his eyes were yellow in order to effectively disguise him. After all, it would look pretty weird if he spent his entire time walking around the Smash Mansion with his eyes closed. Still, that didn't mean he had to like this yellow stuff.

Wolf flexed his claw experimentally, barely able to contain his excitement and frustration as it moved with his command. He was excited because having his own body again meant he was free. He would no longer be restrained under the control of a human or otherwise. Frustrating because he felt like a babbling infant that was just learning how to walk.

"Bring her in," Tabuu yawned, causing Wolf's anger to spike. It was infuriating the way Tabuu offhandedly ordered Heather to be dragged in, like she was nothing more than a piece of trash. Gritting his teeth, he forced his heart rate to calm down before turning his attention to the double doors on the other side of the room.

Of course, nothing could ever prepare him for when his Guardian was dragged in. She was completely covered in blood from head to toe, almost to the point where it was hard to discern her pale skin from the red liquid. The cuts all over her arms and legs told Wolf that evidentially, she had been forced to suffer through some of the most horrid of tortures before being brought here before the Subspace Lord. She was chained up and on her knees, looking so defeated that Wolf was almost sure that they had the wrong girl. But the look in her great orange eyes told him that she _was_ Heather.

And she had been captured.

"This is the girl, Clark?" Tabuu asked, turning to the corner of the room that was nearest to him. Wolf frowned and narrowed his eyes, just barely being able to make out the tall, imposing figure of a man hidden deep within the shadows.

A chuckle emitted from said figure as he stepped into the light. "Indeed, Lord Tabuu."

The resemblance this man bore to Heather was very slight, but amazing. Just like her, he was tall and imposing. To an extent he also had the same orange eyes, the same shape of his face, and the same muscular bod. But what truly amazed Wolf the most was the way she looked at him.

He could see nothing behind her eyes but pure, burning hatred. Her mouth was curled into a snarl, her orange eyes were practically on fire. For a moment, Wolf was still able to see Black Heather stir behind the Wolfon's eyes, always threatening to break free, always watching…

"You look well, Heather," the man remarked lightly, dark eyes flashing maliciously. "The new look suits you."

"Clark," Heather spat. The hatred in her gave her voice a very, very sharp edge. Wolf almost recoiled at the sound of her voice.

"Now, now, young niece… is that any way to speak to your dear old uncle?"

"Your crimes have made you a monster…" Heather hissed. "You are no uncle of mine."

Clark Wolfon, Heather's uncle, let out a low chuckle. From the sound if it, he saw Heather as nothing more than a spoiled brat throwing a temper tantrum. Wolf gritted his teeth yet again, his right claw curling into a fist. He had to keep himself under control…

"Your defiance amuses me, Heather," Clark said, shooting a small smirk in Tabuu's direction. "And yet… your altruistic behaviors disgust me beyond all reason."

"I live only to help purge the world from monsters like you, Clark Wolfon."

This time, Clark let out a barking laugh. It echoed slightly around the room, only adding to the sinister atmosphere. The mere sound of his laugh was enough to send a shiver down the lupine's spine. Wolf shivered slightly as this happened, not wanting to admit to the fear he felt surging within him.

"How pathetic you are, Heather Wolfon…" Tabuu whispered, lacing his fingers together. "You think that by sacrificing yourself, you will protect those blasted teens you call your friends? You think that by doing this, you are honoring the memory of your long dead family? HAH! You don't even know the half of what happened to them, child!"

"I know enough!" Heather shouted. "I know that it was you, Clark! _You_ who murdered them! Their blood is on your hands! I can see it!" Wolf could hear Black Heather's voice slowly creeping to the surface.

"C'mon Heather… hold her back…" he muttered under his breath. If Blackther came out, there was no telling what would happen.

"HAH! You think that, don't you?" Clark let out a rancorous cackle. It was enough to make even Tabuu wince. "You think that it was _all_ done by me? You are more of a fool than I thought you were, Heather Elecktra Wolfon!"

With that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a single sheet of paper. It was a rather unremarkable thing, being black ink on thin papyrus with a rather ordinary seal. But something large and red at the very bottom of this paper soon drew Wolf's sharp eye, something so large and horrible it was a wonder why that paper had not been burned long ago.

It was Heather's signature, written in blood.

Wolf heard Heather sharply breathe in at the sight of it. Vaguely, he was able to remember that one time he had managed to see a tiny bit of Heather's memories. It was during that battle with Arenafan. He remembered seeing this paper somewhere, on a table in front of her. He remembered feeling a chilling smile on Heather as she carefully slit her hand with a knife and let it drip into an inkwell…

"You recognize this, don't you?" Clark asked, smirking triumphantly. "I know you do, Heather… I can see it in your eyes…"

For the first time since Wolf had met her, he saw a flash of fear cross the Wolfon's face. "How-"

"Oh, how did I come across this?" Heather's uncle cut in. He started gently stroking the papyrus. "Don't you remember, Heather? That one time I visited you and swore to protect you and the entire Wolfon family from big bad Tabuu?" here, he stopped and gave a respectful nod to the Subspace Lord. "How I promised that no matter what, you would all be able to live in peace away from his influence? And all you had to do in return was… oh… do what I said when I said it…"

Wolf watched as Heather paled and said nothing. From the lines of her jaw, he could tell that she was gritting her teeth. The Black Heather- like spark in her eye was now nonexistent.

"You were so young back then…" Clark mused. "So… easy to goad into foolish decisions…"

Again, Heather said nothing. She only trembled slightly, unable to tear her eyes from the piece of paper her uncle was holding in front of her.

"Well, Miss Wolfon, you are a young woman now… no longer the little girl you once were," Clark continued. "So it is time that you should know…" his mouth curled into a sneer. "You believe that it was I alone that initiated the death of our family, Heather? You are so sadly mistaken… for it was _you_ as well that caused their deaths!"

"No…" Heather whispered, her chest heaving. Wolf retrained the urge to leap out and strangle Clark Wolfon right there.

"Foolish girl! Your begging and denial will get you nowhere! Do you not know what this is? This is a Blood Pact! A contract signed by your own blood, by your own will!"

"No… NO!" Heather screamed. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "IT CAN'T BE! NO!"

* * *

**(flashback)**

_"Cam, stop it!" Beeh sniffed. "It's too scary!"_

_"No! Keep telling it! More scariness! More blood! MORE BLOOD!" Picho cackled. Beeh shot him a dirty look._

_Wolf snickered as Cam smirked. It was around midnight in the Smash Base. Despite that, the little ones had refused to go to bed. It wasn't until Cam had volunteered to tell them a story when they agreed to allow themselves to be (forcibly) tucked in. Heather, who was there to make sure that Cam's story didn't get too graphic, smiled as the children eagerly leaned forward to hear more._

_"Well, alright… so in order to claim his father's kingdom for his own, Ashnard ordered the old man to activate the paper he had his father sign," Cam explained. "That paper was probably the most deadly thing in all the known worlds… it was…" here, Ike's Guardian paused for dramatic effect. "… A Blood Pact."_

_"What the Hell is a Blood Pact?" Wolf muttered. At the same time, Pichn asked the same thing._

_"Alright, well… a Blood Pact is a document that someone- usually a king or lord- signs in exchange for something. Thing is, those things are dangerous because the holder of the Blood Pact has every opportunity to activate it if the signer doesn't fulfill their end of the bargain." Cam looked around at the confused looks of the younger ones. Frowning, he tried to think of another way to explain it. "… Alright… so… Lin, let's say I pull out a Blood Pact right now and ask you to sign it. I give you… say… ten tons of candy a year while in return, you have to slap yourself twice a day."_

_"What? Only ten tons?" Lin asked. "RIP OFF!"_

_"I'll take the candy!" Beeh said. _

_"NO! MY CANDY!" Pichn shouted._

_"YOU'RE BOTH WRONG! MY CANDY!" Picho laughed. Wolf couldn't help but laugh along. Kids were pretty hilarious when they were young like that._

_"… Whatever," Cam muttered. "So let's say you sign it and I give you ten tons of candy a year. Thing is, you keep forgetting to slap yourself twice a day. So then I can activate the Blood Pact and slowly, everyone you care about will die. It will start with one person one day, two people the next day, three people the day after that, and so on."_

_Lin's eyes widened. "All of that for a slap, Cam? Geez!"_

_Cam__ rolled his eyes. "I'm not really going to murder everyone you care for over a couple of-"_

_"HELP! HELP! CAM'S A MURDERER!" Picho shouted._

_"HELP US, HEATHER! CAM'S GONNA EAT US!" Pichn yelled._

_Ike's Guardian looked to Heather for help._

_Heather laughed. "Alright, everyone, time to head to bed."_

_Everyone groaned._

**(end flashback)**

* * *

"Well, Heather, from the look in your eye, I can tell that you know exactly what a Blood Pact is," Clark said, snapping Wolf from his memories. "Excellent… you're a lot smarter than you seem…" he looked at the Blood Pact thoughtfully. "You know, Heather, I've been contemplating something… you seem to care quite a lot for your Guardian friends, don't you? And you've been quite the naughty little girl lately…"

"Don't you dare," Heather hissed. Wolf heard the fire in her voice, knowing that any moment, Black Heather would be out and running rampant.

"Oh? And what's stopping me, Heather? You?" he let out a barking laugh. "How can you protect those pathetic little worms you call friends when you can't even protect yourself?" he gestured to the blood all over her, the numerous cuts running all over her body. "You are truly naïve and weak! Your compassion for others has done nothing but hinder your potential! You shame me, Heather Wolfon!"

Wolf let out a low growl. It was low enough so that none of the Subspace denizens caught it, but he could've sworn that Tabuu inclined his head slightly in his direction at the noise.

"You have no choice, Heather… the Blood Pact is clear… follow my every order without complaint nor hesitation when I give them or your loved ones will die again… just like our family, Heather Wolfon… you will watch and grovel on your knees as one by one, a Guardian is struck down… dead!" Clark's sneer widened. "And there is nothing… _nothing_ any of you Guardians can do to stop me!"

"I don't think so," the female Wolfon said quietly. She surprised Wolf with the way her voice was still unshaken, despite the pain Clark Wolfon was indirectly inflicting on her.

This time, Tabuu leaned forward and leered at her. "Are you truly willing to sacrifice your precious Guardian friends?"

"… Clark… Tabuu… strength without compassion… merciless slaughter of those who gave you no harm does not a ruler make…" it was easy for Wolf to tell, after living within her for so long, that she was choosing her words with great care. "You care nothing for the mindless slaves you call your loyal subjects… the Primids. You cloak your desire for 'peace' as you call it, in the warped world you have created with pretty speeches and death threats, but it is a petty avarice nonetheless!" her orange eyes flash. "Bound to serve you I may be, but know this! The Guardians _will_ rise up and defeat you!"

Tabuu laughed. "What a petty little speech _you're_ making, Heather Wolfon… the very thought of a bunch of teens having even the slimmest chance of overthrowing me when Clark is passing my orders to you is priceless!"

"… Allowing you, Clark, to plant the seeds of disaster and wipe out the lives of my entire family is a failure for which I must answer…" Heather whispered. "But the Guardians _will_ see themselves through this trial… they will give Smashville the future it deserves…" Wolf watched as her eyes slid over to the piece of paper still clutched in Clark Wolfon's hand. "No matter the cost…"

"Bah! I tire of you, girl!" Clark snapped. He turned towards Wolf and the two Smashers standing next to him, Fox and Falco. "Take this woman away and lock her up! Make sure she is punished until she learns to keep that stupid mouth of hers shut!"

Reluctantly, Wolf trudged over to Heather, flanked by Fox and Falco. While he and Falco each took one arm and dragged her away, Fox followed behind them with one of Tabuu's Chains of Light. Every so often, he would lash out and whip Heather right across the cheek, drawing even more blood from the deep gashes littered all over her. The whole time, she did not utter a sound, except for but one vow.

"I will be strong, Guardians…"**

* * *

**

Miles stared in horror, Eclipse's coat hanging loosely from his hand. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was completely unable to run. Even Sonic, who prided himself in speed above all else, was currently thinking nothing of running away.

He could only see the horrible Guardian- no, _thing_- in front of him.

_"What… the… fucking… Hell…"_ Sonic choked. Miles could only stare in sheer shock at the thing in front of him, unable to move at all.

The women- every single one of them- were screaming. Sakura and Mah seemed to have the most control over themselves. They each had pulled Lin and Beeh respectively into a protective embrace, shielding the two young ones' eyes. Nask had tried doing the same thing to Ridere, but the little boy was already under his box before she could do a thing. Pikana had attempted to shield Picho and Pichn's eyes with her little arms, but they proved much too short for the job. Golfer had reached over and snatched Traca's dragon stone away from her just in time. Aly pulled out every single gun that was on her body and aimed it at Eclipse's unmoving form. Psyche had fainted.

The others continued screaming.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?" Mars shouted. He shoved Aly aside and pulled out his own gun.

"CALM DOWN, GUARDIANS!" Master Hand tried to shout. But his efforts were to no avail. As soon as the words came out of him, every available weapon had been pulled out and pointed at Eclipse. Even Cam and Joe, weakened though they were, had come running out of the base to see what was going on. The moment Cam saw what was happening, he made a grab for the blessed blade Ragnell that was still lying on the ground, no questions asked.

The thing currently lying on the ground was unlike anything they had ever seen. Eclipse's glowing eyes were closed, his face contorted in an expression of utter pain. A huge rainbow colored shard protruded from his chest, black blood flowing freely all around it. But what truly horrified them the most was his skin.

It was exactly like Tabuu's, only green in color. It swirled exactly like his did, pulsated exactly like his did. Heck, it even smelled a bit like him. If it weren't for the rainbow colored shard in his chest or the fact that he was human sized whereas Tabuu was a giant, it was very possible that many of the Guardians could've mistook him for the Subspace Lord himself. A closer check by Miles showed that he lacked the special wings Tabuu had.

Miles, his heart beating so loud it was deafening, unsheathed the dagger that was hanging off his belt with his right hand and grabbed Eclipse with his other. Taking extra care, he positioned the weapon in a way so that the point was just barely touching the Tabuu- look-alike's throat. He could see that Eclipse was starting to come to, as his eyelids quivered ever so slightly. As soon as those shining yellow eyes were open, Miles pressed the knife a little harder against his throat.

"Who are you?" he hissed. There was a slight hesitation as Eclipse took in everything around him before he spoke.

"I'm Eclipse! Guardian of-"

"Don't lie to us," Fyre said calmly. He was standing nearest to Miles and from the slight crackling in the very back of his throat, he could tell that he had a breath of flame already prepared in him. "We see what you look like, you son of a bitch. So tell the truth or we'll take extra care to kill you _slowly_ and _painfully_."

"Calm down, Fyre," Miles said quietly. "We don't want to threaten him too badly…"

"I've told you," the thing spat out. "I am Eclipse, Guardian of Wario!"

_"Lying piece of shit,"_ Sonic hissed. Miles fought back the urge to hit himself. Though it was true that the presence of a being that looked so much like Tabuu was unnerving, he had to keep his cool. After all, you never know of the thing turns out to be something useful.

"… Eclipse…" Miles took a deep breath. "I can't say I don't believe you… but I will say that there's something about you you've been hiding from us all this time. I mean…" he gestured to Eclipse's glowing green skin, the multicolored shard protruding from his chest. "You've been trying to hide those things from all of us… why?"

The place where Eclipse's mouth was supposed to be crinkled slightly, as if he were pursing his lips. "I… you guys…"

"Can I just burn this lying son of a bitch right now?" Fyre demanded. The crackle in the back of his throat now sounded like a roaring furnace.

"Fyre!" Miles snapped. "No!"

"Listen to his words, Guardians," Master Hand said sharply. Miles noticed that the circle of Guardians around him and Eclipse had tightened a bit ever since they had ripped off Eclipse's coat. "Everyone has something to say in his defense. Let him speak."

Miles removed the point of his dagger from Eclipse's throat, but his grip remained firm. "Start speaking. Now. From the beginning."

Eclipse sighed. "… My name… my name is Eclipse… I come from Gensokyo. It was the place where I was born and raised, adhering to the simple way of life in my country. My life was mostly uneventful… until that one fateful night…"

_"Oh boy, here we go… his mom died or something…"_ Sonic groaned. Miles glared up at him before motioning for Eclipse to continue.

"I saw a shooting star… it came at me quickly, _too_ quickly… the next thing I knew, there was a great pain in my chest. Whatever it was had embedded itself within me. No matter how hard me or anyone else in my village tried, no one could pull it out. Every day, bit by bit, I changed... I transformed… into this…" he held up one glowing green hand. "I didn't understand what was going on… no one else did… eventually, they had no choice but to turn to superstition for my condition… I was deemed to be possessed by an evil spirit… when they failed to exorcise me, they ran me out of the village… I wandered the world cold and alone…"

_"Oh, so great journey story?"_ Sonic yawned. Miles took a deep breath to resist the urge to strangle the hedgehog in his head.

"I came to a temple after about a month of walking… and out of nowhere, a portal opened and I came here…" Eclipse shook his head. "That is my story… that's all I can tell you… that's-"

"One Hell of a stupid lie if you ask me," Cam snapped. He was using Ragnell to support himself, being still very weak from his fight.

"Cameron!" Master Hand scolded.

"What? It's the truth!"

Miles let go of Eclipse's collar and stood up. "… I can't tell if this guy's lying or not… but he's still Wario's Guardian…"

"And no matter how much this bastard lied to us, we still need him on our team," Mars spat. He put away his gun. "He's a Guardian either way. And we'll need all 40 Guardians to stand a chance against Tabuu."

Master Hand nodded. "Indeed… Eclipse, forgive me, but we will have to watch you quite closely from now on… Guardians, please… please go back to doing what you all should be doing at the moment. I have much to speak with Eclipse about."

One by one, each Guardian put away their weapon and went their separate ways. Pikana shocked Psyche to wake her up before helping Picho and Pichn drag her into the base. Miles, being the last to leave, shot Eclipse a small glare as he left.

_"Well, what a day we've been having, eh?"_ Sonic asked. The hedgehog was in a good mood, despite the fact that one of the Guardians had turned out nothing like what they thought him to be. From his thoughts, Miles could tell that the Chaos Emeralds were causing this mood.

Miles sighed. "You can say that again, Sonic… you can say that again…"

* * *

Pit sighed. Ever since Eclipse's "big revealing", she had been awfully quiet. It had been pretty awful while she was unconscious, as he was forced to exit her mind in order to see what was going on. But what had truly made him feel the guiltiest was that she was forced to learn this- all of it- from him as soon as she woke up.

This was one of the moments when he hated having to share memories with her.

His Guardian's thoughts were unusual tonight. Most of the time, her thoughts were occupied with either memories of the past she had long put behind her or nervousness and anticipation at the upcoming battle. It was many a night when he would find her awake in bed just staring at the ceiling.

But she had never ventured outside before.

_"You really shouldn't be out here…"_ he said quietly. _"It's dangerous… being out here was exactly how Joe and the others got Guardian-napped."_

"Can't I even get one moment of… you know, alone time? Without you constantly trying to get me to do something I don't wanna do?" his Guardian asked. Despite the rather biting words, her tone was much softer than it was when they first met. "I mean… well…"

Pit sighed. _"… Look… I know we don't exactly get along well…"_

Much to his surprise, Psyche let out a light chuckle. "I can't remember the last time we've actually had a civil conversation, Pit."

Pit laughed. _"Well… yeah. You're always out there ready to jump in and give up your head in the name of whatever."_

She crossed her arms, but grinned. "And you're always up there nagging me to stop!"

_"And you're always messing up words when you're reading!"_

"And you're always yelling at me for messing up the words when I'm reading!"

_"And you still can't aim properly with those arrows!"_

"And you still can't figure out how to draw the bow with my weak-sauce arms!"

_"And you're still stubborn!"_

"And you're still uptight!"

Pit grinned. If he had a body at the moment, he knew he would be playfully shoving her. _"Uptight am I? Who was the one that made those little kids swab the table over and over again because they kept missing spots?"_

"They deserved it! They used your bow to carve cuss words into the wood!"

_"Well… I thought it was pretty funny… I mean, it at least gave it some type of decoration. You **do** get pretty tired of a plain wood table after you've been staring at it for a hundred years."_

Psyche shrugged. "Yeah… I guess you can say that…"

Silence fell between them. It was often like this, especially after they were finished having one of their infamous arguments. But then again, the silence was different this time. It felt more… reminiscent than angry. And truth be told, Pit actually liked it a bit more like that.

_"Listen, Psy-"_

"Pit, I-"

They fell silent again. It was rather strange hearing both of their voices speaking at the same time, using the same rather apologetic tone. Hoping that she would somehow be able to feel it, Pit gave her a small smile.

_"Go ahead, you start."_

"No, you go. I mean, you're the Smasher and every-"

_"Guardians first. I insi-"_

"No, really! You go! Please!"

The angel laughed. _"Alright, alright! Hold your horses now!"_ he took a deep breath. _"I… I just kinda wanted to say that I'm… well…"_ how was he supposed to say this? _"I-"_

"… Apology accepted, Pit," his Guardian said quietly. There was a small smile on her face as she said this. Pit couldn't tell from her thoughts if she was smiling at him or something else.

_"I… well… yeah…"_

"You're just like him, you know that?" Psyche asked, hugging her knees close to her chest. "He used to apologize exactly the way you did…" her smile fell a little. "Never knew exactly _how_ to apologize…"

_"… You two were awfully close, weren't you?"_

"Closer than brother and sister…" Psyche said quietly. Pit could tell that she was blinking back tears. "We went through everything together…"

_"I… wow… I'm really-"_

"No need for pity, Pit," she interrupted, drawing circles in the dirt. "I've… I've moved on… I mean…" she gulped. "Things happen… time moves on… I'll stop and mourn for a bit, but..." that circle she was drawing was starting to look an awful lot like a heart. "But… but it just happens… he's in a better place now anyways. And… and I know that he's up there somewhere, watching me…"

_"Sounds a bit like a stalker if you asked me,"_ Pit joked, trying to break the ice a bit. When that didn't serve to do much, he tried another route. _"Well… if I can still talk to Lady Palutena, the first thing I'd ask her is whether or not he's up there and he's doing well."_

Psyche's smile returned. "Thanks Pit… thanks a lot…" she shifted uncomfortably as she carefully scratched out the circle heart thing on the ground.

Pit sighed and looked up at the sky. The stars were out tonight, scattered throughout the dark skies as if they did not know where to go. Strangely, the sky looked an awful like the last one he saw before his soul was ripped away from him and stuffed into a glass prison. It also looked a lot like the one he saw as he was flying through the skies, following a force he did not know, searching for a young human he had never met in his life.

Weird…

_"Amazing how far we've come, isn't it?"_ he asked offhandedly. _"I mean… it only seems like yesterday that I was still stuck in that stupid jar…"_

Psyche nodded. "Yeah… and I was still working on those Smashballs in the factories… over and over…"

_"Pretty soon, I might get my body back,"_ the angel mused. Strangely, he wasn't as excited as he used be at the thought of reclaiming his body. It meant more burdens, being forced to relearn how to use it after a century, and possibly even plain awkwardness.

Oh well, at least it meant no more simultaneous death, right?

_"Listen… if I get my body back… and… and if I don't make it out…"_

"You'll make it out, Pit, I know you will," she grinned. "You can just nag Tabuu to death."

Pit chuckled. _"Yeah, sure, whatever… but I-"_

"ERIC!" Psyche leaped up as twin lights illuminated the skies. It wasn't long before the rather bulky shape of a Wolfen appeared and started to descend its powerful jets blowing air around like a hurricane.

Pit could see lights in the Smash Base, as well as voices. By the sounds of things, Psyche's scream combined with Eric's jets had woken up the entire base. It wasn't long before the voices reached him.

"ERIC!"

"HE'S BACK!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!"

"YOU HAD US ALL WORRIED, MAN!"

Pit was happy that Eric was back, he really was. But he felt a slight twinge of regret as Psyche got up and quickly ran up to the young pilot. He let out a small sigh.

Looks like he'll have to wait another day.


	25. Lost and Found

Lost and Found

For perhaps the eighth time in an hour, Marth sighed. He was accustomed to sitting in three-hour meetings, but that didn't mean he had to like them. And from the looks of things, Nask too wasn't much of a fan of such meetings. She kept shifting in her chair, making it quite clear that she wasn't at all comfortable in this situation.

It had been a difficult night for the Guardians. When Eric returned from the Smash Mansion, it had taken him about an hour to finally recover and get settled. He had been extremely cramped from the plane ride and it was clear that he was also exhausted. It had taken two more hours for him to tell the full story.

Heather had been captured. Those four words weighed heavily with all of them. In fact, they weighed so heavily that not a single Guardian had truly reacted to such words. It was the cold, raw silence that fell upon them that said it all: one of their greatest hopes was lost to them.

But now there was a new task to be had. Without Heather, a new battle plan would have to be formed. And that was why the tacticians were forced to gather in the tiny room Cam shared with Teal to discuss this. The object was simple: make an effective battle plan that will devastate as much of Tabuu's army as possible while keeping as many Guardians alive as possible.

Unfortunately, some things were easier said than done.

A map of the Plains of Smashville had been set up on a small wooden table in the center of the room. White chess pieces were scattered around on one side to represent the Guardian army. The other side, represented by black chess pieces, was Tabuu's army.

Marth remembered these plains well. They were, in fact, the very last place he visited before he lost his soul. It was the day before he had been sent out to battle. Sheeda had come to Smashville for a visit and, being the good host he was, Marth had taken her out to the plains. They had picnicked there, for once forgetting the burden that they both had to carry as rulers of Altea. For once, they could be laughing and smiling, just like anyone else in the world…

"Are you _sure_ there's no other land features besides that stupid tree?" Traca asked. "Are you _absolutely_ sure that there aren't any cliffs or other trees we can use to our advantage?"

"Traca, I told you already," Mars muttered exhaustedly. "I flew over the damned field at least three times! Unless we stage the battle somewhere near Smashville itself, there isn't _anything_. The plains are exactly what they sound like they are, Traca. _Plains_."

"At this rate, we mind as well just give the whole hog and charge in," MS yawned. Dark circles framed his eyes. "At least if we do that, we'll get _something_ done…"

"Charging in is pure suicide, MS, and you know it," Cam said bluntly. Marth couldn't help but notice that his right arm was still heavily bandaged. He looked over his shoulder and groaned. "Where the Hell is Master Hand when you need him?"

The Guardians and Smashers had searched high and low for the two floating limbs. Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be found. It was as if they had simply disappeared off the face of the earth. But it was still evident that they were around. According to Nao, the barriers were still holding and the refrigerator had not run out of food, even with Cam's huge appetite.

"I haven't seen them since we got our Smashballs," Nask admitted. "I was too caught up in the excitement of going into the Smash Mansion to break everyone out to really pay attention to them…"

"I'm pretty sure we all were, Nask," Ridere shot her a small grin. "But the Hands aside… how are we going to do this? We've got a completely open field, with no obstacles or anything, but Tabuu still has the advantage no matter what we try to do…"

"Why can't we just use the planes?" Traca asked. "The planes and my dragon form can-"

"No can do, Trac," Mars interrupted. He spun his coin on the table. "Eric says that we've got less than half a tank of gas left for each of us. That won't be enough for an entire battle. Hell, it probably won't be enough for the flight _there_…"

"Then how about we put the healers in the back and protect them as best as we can?" Nask asked. "It's a classic battle strategy…"

"There's still a problem, though," Cam said. "We're not the only ones with planes. And Tabuu's got more fliers than us… and, no offense Traca, but his fliers can actually control themselves when they fly…"

"Then… then…" MS sighed. "I've got no ideas left… Tabuu's got the _Smashers_ on his side and all we got is the fact that we might know how to get the Smashers their bodies back… but even then, it's pretty likely he'll eat us all alive before we can even get close to doing something like that…"

"… If that does happen…" Mars scratched his head. "If that _does_ happen… we have to keep as many of us alive as possible… so if we do lose, at least some of us can go and try to rebuild a resistance…"

"But… the question is…" Nask gestured to the chess pieces. "How…?"

An icy silence fell over the group. Marth, unable to think of any way to help them out of this situation, remained silent. The task that had been given to these tacticians was a truly daunting one. There was, in fact, almost no way they could avoid a massacre. He had known that the moment the Guardians had come together.

Yes, they were strong. Yes, they had only grown stronger through their training. But Tabuu had had hundreds of years to train the Smasher bodies. On top of that, he had the ability to spawn what seemed like an infinite number of Primids and other Subspace denizens. It was one thing to have to take down a seemingly endless army, but it was another thing to have to attempt to take down an army that _was_ endless.

Marth stared at the map, frowning at the chess pieces sitting rather uselessly on top off it. There _had_ to be a way out of this problem. _Every_ problem had a solution of some kind, as he had been told long ago by Jegan. But what was the solution to this one? Every possible advantage seemed to be against them. If they tried to flee, Tabuu would only pursue them until they dropped dead or surrendered to him. And Tabuu was not the merciful type. So what would the Guardians be able to do that could preserve as much of their numbers as possible?

Unless…

It was a tactical move from long ago, that was rarely ever used in the modern day. In fact, the tactic was so old that it was ancient when Marth had learned it as a boy in Altea over a hundred years ago. It was used only if there was nothing else left. The tactic would place a great burden upon the shoulders of he who was chosen to carry out the task.

Two parties would each choose one person to represent them, a Champion, in many ways. They would place everything upon the shoulders of their chosen Champion. The two Champions would fight each other in a one-on-one battle, with the fight only ending with the collapse of the loser. The losing side would lose the feud and relinquish all claim of defiance to the winning side.

Such a thing was an _extremely_ risky maneuver. It was quite possible that the chosen Champion would crack under all the pressure. It was quite possible that the chosen Champion would crack under all the pressure. But if it was truly the only way that the Guardians could ever get close to victory, they had to try it.

"… Trial by Combat…" Nask whispered. Evidently, she had been reading the prince's thoughts. "Marth… that's genius!"

The others shot her looks of confusion. After all, Trial by Combat wasn't exactly taught to little kids. But after a quick explanation from Nask, their expressions turned from confused to thoughtful.

"Trial by Combat… we put everything we have on one person… but if that one person dies, it leaves the rest of us…" Cam muttered.

"But will Tabuu honor the rules of Trial by Combat?" Mars asked. "Do you guys think he'll _really_ own up and let us all live and stuff if we lose? Or, how about this, if we somehow _win_, will he just surrender to us just like that?"

"It's going to be one Hell of a longshot," Ridere agreed. "But for now, it's the best we can do. If all else fails, the best we can do is try to escape… I know the planes aren't going to be exactly functional, but…" he turned to Traca. "Traca… I can't believe I'm saying this, but we're going to need you to fly a few of us out… the younger ones…"

Traca nodded. "As long as Roy keeps his hands off my Dragon Stone, I can keep control for a good three hours."

"Then it's settled," Cam said. "The younger ones flee with Traca if our champion falls or if Tabuu pulls some dirty trick and lets his whole army charge or something."

"But now that brings us to the most important point," MS sighed. "Who the champion is going to be."

Not surprisingly, every eye in the room turned to MS. Being the Guardian of Mario, it was only natural that he would be expected to be the Champion of the Guardians. But much to their disappointment, the young man shook his head.

"I may have Mario living in my head and everything, guys," he said quietly. "But I'm not much of a fighter. By the sound of things, this whole Trial by Combat thing probably won't include the use of fireballs or anything." he gave them a small smile. "I'd fight those Primids any day, but knowing Tabuu, it'll be a Smasher that'll be going up against us. And frankly, I _really_ don't want to risk getting my ass kicked."

"Don't look at me," Mars said when they turned to him. "I'm a pilot, not a warrior. If this whole Trial by Combat thing took place in the skies, then I could handle it fair and square… but like I said, I'm not a fighter. I've got no idea how to swing one of those great big swords without looking like an idiot."

"… My dragon stone," Traca said, shrugging guiltily. "I won't be able to help the kids escape if I'm caught up in the Champion fight… and there's always the chance that I'll lose control of myself when I'm in my dragon form during the battle."

"Knowing Tabuu, he'll choose a Smasher to represent him," Ridere said slowly. But in response to the hopeful glances he was receiving, the young man shook his head. "I'll be squashed by one of them before I know what's going on, guys. Mine and Snake's weapons are all built for throwing and shooting and stuff… and I doubt any punches I throw will really make that much of an impact on those Smashers."

Even Nask, whom Marth had expected to take the initiative when no one else did, declined. "I… I won't be able to last long against any of the Smashers. As much as I do wish to represent the Guardians in a battle like this, I can't take the pressure. The future lies on the shoulders of one person if we do this Trial by Combat. _Our_ future is at stake with one last throw of the dice. I think… I _know_ that I won't be able to take such pressure… I'm sorry…"

Cam, who had remained quiet this whole time, heaved a deep sigh. "Well… then it's settled. Since no one else will be the Champion to represent us in this Trial by Combat, then-"

_BOOM!_

"What the Hell was that?"

_BOOM!_

_"Ashera!"_ Marth shouted. _"What in the world is going on?"_ not far away, he could hear the shouts of other Guardians as they too were startled by the strange explosions overhead. The prince felt Nask tense up slightly as tiny pieces of gravel fell from the ceiling…

_BOOM!_

"Uh… Guys… was that crack on the ceiling there before…?" MS asked, pointing upwards.

_BOOM!_

"WE NEED TO GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" Traca jumped out of her chair.

_BOOM!_

"WHERE ARE THESE THINGS COMING FROM?" Nask screamed.

_BOOM!_

"SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!" Ridere answered, hiding under his box.

Marth imagined Snake facepalming.

_BOOM!_

"TAKE COVER!"

* * *

They were the first things he saw as soon as he stepped out into the open. Falco's keen eyesight, another gift he had given his Guardian, allowed him to make out something zooming around in the sky. As Mars squinted at the skies, he was able to further see that it was not one, not two, but three planes soaring about.

And they were all dropping bombs.

"ERIC! ALY! GET TO THE PLANES!" Mars shouted over the roar of the explosions. It was evident to him that the three planes zooming around in the sky- most likely an Arwing, a Sky Claw, and possibly a Wolfen- were dropping bombs on top of the base in an attempt to drive out the Guardians. And once the teens were all vulnerable, it would be an easy thing to do to simply fry them all up with lasers.

The Wolfen, he noticed as he climbed into the cockpit of his own Sky Claw, was doing its best to drop bombs in places with the least Guardians. On the other hand, the Sky Claw and the Arwing were both mercilessly dropping their detonation devices in places that would hit as many of the exposed Guardians as possible.

_"Wolf's got us covered, but he won't be able to attack mine or Fox's bodies without giving himself away,"_ Falco reported. _"I **really** hope ya got a plan, man. Sooner or later, **someone's** going to get nuked."_ Mars could almost imagine the bird grimacing as he said this. _"And… well, as much as I hate to admit it, arrows, eggs, and… those weird little people things won't do us any good in a fight like this."_

It had to be admitted that the former pilot was right. The Guardians with projectiles were doing everything they could to try to take down the planes from below. Psyche, Cimar, Sam, Squall, and Rinku were shooting arrows- and in Cimar's case, needles and magic as well- like mad. KOR, Ridere, and Pikana were teaming up, seeing who could hit a plane first with their bazookas. Kage shot laser after laser, but it wasn't long until she had to pause to allow it to charge again. Doggie was throwing Waddle Dees and the occasional Gordo. Mah was throwing eggs, assisted by Beeh who was using her Pikmin to lasso them home. Lin's Charizard roared its fury as it flew into the air, only to be peppered by a barrage of enemy bullets. Chi activated Diddy's jet pack and leaped into the air with his peanut popguns. Drake flipped sausages out of a pan while Kai shot Aura Sphere after Aura sphere. Golfer simply aimed his gun and shot.

Of course, everywhere else, the others were attempting to help as well. Traca, Nask, and Cam- tacticians to the very end- were shouting orders. Nao was attempting to juggle between levitating high enough in the air to get a clean shot with his Shadow Balls while at the same time using his psychic powers to stop the bombs as they rained down past him. Picho and Teal utilized Ness' and Lucas' powers to try to stop the terrible weapons of destruction as they came down. MS, Joe, and Green managed to climb onto the roof- the most dangerous position- and were currently using their powers in any way they could. Sakura was doing her best to make sure the kids didn't get overexcited and made a mistake. Crystal's chains swung into the air, hoping to catch one of the planes off-guard as they passed. JB, Miles, Xavier, Pichn, and Eclipse were hurrying in and out of the quickly crumbling base with armloads of medicines and other important equipment. Chester released powerful bolts of electricity, unfortunately harming himself as he did so. Fyre blew fire at basically anything that moved.

But Eric and Aly were nowhere to be seen.

Despite the worry he felt, Mars pushed the concern for his teammates out of his mind and concentrated on the task at hand. "Falco, how fast is your old plane?" Mars asked as he shut the cockpit and started flicking switches. As helpful as the projectiles were, many of them- namely the arrows, the Waddle Dees, and the eggs- were too weak to penetrate the enemy planes. They served to be a distraction, nothing more.

_"Pretty fast,"_ Falco said proudly. But then his tone changed. _"Thing is… I don't know what Tabuu's done to my plane since I last saw it. He's had a hundred years to put his dirty hands all over the thing. Who knows what's he decided to stick on it?"_

Mars grimaced slightly as the engines of his plane roared to life. "Well, it looks like we're about to find out."

He took off.

The moment the wheels of the plane left the ground, Mars _knew_ that he was now in his prime. He may have said earlier that he was no warrior, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to fight. In many ways, he was a warrior of the skies. While he was no shakes of a fighter on the ground, here in the sky, he held every advantage.

But still, he sensed something missing. It took him a moment, but he then realized that it was the two companions he had been fighting alongside for so long weren't around. In fact, he hadn't seen them since Eric had returned, exhausted and battered, only a few hours before. In spite of himself, Mars forced himself to look down at the ground, where he expected to see the Arwing and the Wolfen.

Nothing.

_"Hey Mars, miss us?"_ Eric's voice crackled suddenly, causing the pilot to jump.

_"HA! You should see your face!" _Aly cackled. _"I ought to shoot it!"_

Mars grabbed the radio, his anger coming off in waves. "WHAT THE HELL, YOU TWO?"

_"C'mon Mars,"_ Falco laughed. _"Take a joke!"_

Mars growled. "Take a joke? TAKE A JOKE? THERE'S A WAR GOING ON HERE AND YOU ALL JUST WANT ME TO 'TAKE A JOKE'?"

_"… Looks like **someone** forgot to take his meds today…"_ Falco said calmly. Mars whacked himself on the side of the head, cursed, then trained his eyes back on the skies.

The enemy Arwing and Sky Claw were both flanking the sides of the base. It was a rather typical strategy involving them forcing the Guardians to run to the very middle, where they would be easier to pick off. If it weren't for the fact that Wolf was once again in control of himself, it was highly likely that every single person down there would already be dead.

"Eric, can you get a hold of Wolf?" Mars asked as he steered his Arwing towards the enemy Sky Claw. "I want to speak to him ASAP."

_"I've been trying for a while now,"_ Eric groaned. _"There's something blocking the signal. All I'm getting is static."_

_Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!_

The enemy Sky Claw, abandoning its bomb-dropping for a second, opened fire on Mars almost immediately. Gritting his teeth, the young pilot barrel rolled out of the way, slamming his thumb down on one of the triggers located at the base of his wheel. His own lasers started firing away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the enemy Arwing already on a course towards him.

_BOOM!_

Two rockets, each marked with a letter "E" or a letter "A", slammed into the enemy Arwing. Mars watched as a large chunk of the cockpit went flying into the night sky. Now exposed, Fox's body quickly turned and aimed at Mars. A pair of twin electrical beams blasted out of its guns.

_ZZZAP!_

Mars cursed under his breath. Fast as his plane was, it wouldn't be able to take two different attacks from opposite sides. Abandoning his assault on the enemy Sky Claw, the young pilot now turned his guns on the Arwing. A single press of a button sent twin jets of flame sailing towards it.

_BOOM!_

The Arwing was immediately consumed in fire. Taking this chance, Aly and Eric swooped in and began peppering it with as much ammo as they could muster. Mars now turned his attention back to the Sky Claw. Unlike Mars, Falco's body had not retained its humanity, if the bird had any in the first place. It relentlessly continued its assault on Mars, emptying out its entire ammo supply.

At the moment, there were exactly two things that Mars could think of doing. He could try to rush the Sky Claw head on and crush the Smash Ball at the moment of contact. That would allow him to crush the bird's body with the Landmaster that he knew would come. But on the other hand, he could just keep shooting. With luck, he could possibly torch Falco's tank as well.

Well, Aly would sure be proud of him.

Mars unleashed his full frontal assault. Ignoring Eric's protests and Aly's cheering over the radio, he now slammed his foot into the gas pedal. A noxious cloud of black smoke filled the skies as the Sky Claw rushed its enemy at full speed.

_WHAM!_

_"YOU IDIOT!"_ Falco shouted. _"YOU CRACKED THE COCKPIT IN TWO!"_

Mars, the exposed parts of his skin covered in blood from his cuts, grimaced. "Listen, Falco! If you want your body, it's now or never!"

_"Of course I want my body back!"_ the bird said indignantly. _"Why wouldn't I?"_

"Then shut up and let me do my thing, damn you!" Mars shouted, ripping open the glove compartment and reaching inside. He only had seconds to close his hand around the tiny glowing sphere within it and squeeze…

_CRACK!_

Energy, the type that was only found in the farthest reaches of the universe, flowed through him. Shocked, Mars nearly toppled backwards because of the force of this sudden rush of power. He honestly felt like he could do anything at that moment. Even summon an ancient weapon from long ago…

"LANDMASTER!"

The effect was immediate. Mars suddenly started levitating. His ship, with no pilot nor engine able to keep it aloft, fell to earth. Huge colorful lights swirled around him in a great tornado, nearly blinding the people standing down below. A smirk found its way to Mars' face. It was time.

First the canon appeared. Then the body, then the tail. It was exactly like how it was described in the stories Mars used to hear as a kid. A huge tank, an almost unstoppable force, fell from the skies. There was absolutely no time to comprehend its appearance, or even dodge it.

Mars soon found himself trapped within the giant war machine. Taking extra care to make sure that the Landmaster smashed into the enemy Sky Claw, Mars slammed the Landmaster's powerful gun into Falco's body, sending the bird flying out of the fallen plane.

And now, it was time. Mars slowly allowed his Landmaster to land. Falco's body, which had landed quite hard on the ground, didn't move. It was as if it sensed what was going to happen and it was simply bracing itself for the inevitable.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mars saw a giant flaming ball disappear into the night sky. Evidently, Eric and Aly had just finished off the Arwing. And it wasn't long before the Wolfen disappeared as well. This left Falco's body with no allies to rely on and absolutely no hope for help at all. Grinning, Mars lowered the cannon and started charging up the shot.

Then, something hit him. Once this shot was fired, it was an extremely high possibility that he wouldn't have to deal with Falco anymore. The bird had been giving him migraines and headaches from day one. Normally, Mars would be happy to get rid of him.

But in spite of all the bird had done, he had still been a pretty good teammate. If his flying ability was as deadly as the legends and Falco himself had claimed, Mars would've liked to team up with him. Sure, they had their arguments, but it was still worth it in the end. In many ways, Falco had helped Mars become stronger. During the past few days, Falco's snide remarks had only caused Mars to push himself harder, to improve himself to prove the former pilot wrong.

In Falco's case, things were a bit different. Like every Smasher, he wanted his body back more than anything in the world. But he had learned an awful lot about Mars during the time he had been stuck in his head. Mars was a young man of dreams. Dreams that were unfulfilled because of his mistakes. If he had never been captured by Tabuu, then none of this would have happened. The Guardians would have been free to live their lives the way they wanted.

And then there was Katt. Mars couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of her name. Falco had accidentally let slip that there had been something special between the two long ago. Mars _still_ refused to stop teasing him for it.

"Listen… I gotta say it… I'll miss ya, Falco," Mars sighed.

_"Yeah, yeah, I know,"_ there was a bit of a laugh in the former pilot's voice. _"I helped you and you helped me and I helped you and you helped me and… yeah…"_

"Well, this is it, isn't it?" Mars asked. "… Sooner or later, you gotta introduce me to that Katt chick I hear so much about."

_"Yeah, whatever… I'm ready when you are, Mars."_

"Yeah… seeya around… Partner…"

_ZZAP!_

* * *

The moment that paper had been drawn out…

…Wolf watched the destruction of Heather Wolfon.

He knew very little about it. It had been a mere bed-time story at night that had told him about the Blood Contract. From what he gathered, it was a contract between two people, where one party agreed to do something for the other party. If the first party broke the agreement, then the second party could inflict the magic spell contained with said contract and kill of all the loved ones that the first party had to their hearts desired.

It had been, apparently, partially the reason why each of Heather's family members died one by one over a spread of time…besides being executed by Tabuu themselves.

Which lead him to wonder…that RegenadeSolar. Is that how he could've died suddenly? And Teal…how could he still be alive within the months he and Heather met if the blood contract meant killing them?

But that did not matter now…

What mattered was that Falco had returned to his body and that the Guardians had sent a Trial By Combat challenge to Tabuu's way. Wolf had heard of the ancient tradition; it had been used in Lylatian times too with bounty hunters and their men. Two chosen champions from each side would fight against each other and whoever won would claim ultimate victory and supremacy over the other.

It was a risky challenge, he knew. But he also knew it was one way that they could avoid any bloodshed or smashers and guardians dying. He could remember Clark Wolfon's booming laugh of arrogance as he ripped the paper to shreds.

"Those rowdy teenagers have the gall to send the great Tabuu a Trial by Combat challenge?" he'd incredulously. "Putting all their hope and belief into a single person?"

Then he'd thrown his head back and laughed maniacally.

"So Cameron, Guardian of Ike, is their chosen champion," he mused. "Well, Ike is strong enough to destroy a goddess…but now he's been reduced to the pathetic mind of weak, over-confident boy…O'Donnell! Go retrieve my sweet little niece…there is something that I wish to speak about with her…"

Which led him to where he was now; Heather's cell. The sight of seeing the almighty Scion of Rage huddled up in the corner, bound by Tabuu's Chains of Light to restrain her powers, was all too depressing.

As she heard his footsteps, she looked up and shot him a sharp glare, her magma eyes shining bright with the sharpness. He swore she was going to fire a Psyforce as soon as he entered the cell, but then remembered the Chains of Light binding her powers within.

Along with the Blood Contract, that was binding the person within…

"Heather," Wolf whispered, bending down near her. "Heather, hey…it's me…"

"…Wolf?" Heather answered in surprise, with Wolf giving a slight smile.

"Huh…no wonder you weren't answering me. For a moment I thought I was going crazy…what an ironic understatement that is right now." Heather humorously laughed.

"Heather," before he could stop himself, Wolf had reached out and touched her cheek. "Are you all right?"

Once more, a humorous laugh, but it was heavier than before.

"Well, let's see, I just found out that I've been bound by a blood contract that I was tricked into signing when I force signed up for the Subspace army, which killed off my family members the time I _was_ in the army and will kill off Guardians if I betray Tabuu now. Yeah, I'm just fine…" Heather snorted, tears falling out as she spoke the words.

"Heather…" Wolf spoke her name lowly. "None of this is your fault…you know that right?"

"I don't even fucking care anymore, Wolf," Heather sighed. "That shit is done now. I've got nothing more to think about apart from the fact I'm going to be standing infamously above Guardian carcasses. Oh how my naivety has paid off for evil this time."

"You are NOT naïve, Heather Wolfon," Wolf spoke harshly, forcing Heather to look him in the eyes. "And you are NOT going to be standing above Guardian carcasses. I wouldn't let it…"

"Then how about you walk up to Clark, smack him in the face and tear the blood contract apart already then won't you?"

Wolf's eyes averted to the ground.

"Yeah, I didn't think so…" Heather murmured.

"Hey! You know I'd do it if I had the chance!" Wolf angrily growled.

"Oh please!" Heather laughed humorously again. "What a fucking joke it was when you said you'd save me from the evil and the rage! All those talks, those moments; the hope I had within them are all but dashed lines thrown across the floor now! Now that both power and being are bound within me for good, what possibly could I even have hope and belief i-"

Heather was cut off by Wolf's lips crashing onto hers…

* * *

In a realm beyond the farthest and darkest reaches of Subspace stood Tabuu, Lord of Subspace and Prince of Darkness. In his hand he held the dread Chain of Light, a deadly weapon that could act as both an offensive tool and strings with which he could control a puppet. This weapon, forged long ago from light stolen from the First Smashball, was the most corrupt and evil thing in the universe.

The sound of several portals opening behind him caused what looked like a sneer to curl itself upon the Subspace Lord's nonexistent mouth. He turned around to face the new arrivals, his Chain of Light swinging dangerously at his side.

There were nine in all. Two of them were giant floating limbs, six were women, and one was a great and mighty beast. Tabuu's sneer widened as he swept into an elaborate bow.

"My Lady Palutena," he said silkily, addressing a woman with long flowing green locks and wielding a spear and shield. "So good of you to come…"

In spite of her sweet looking face, Palutena's eyes remained colder than ice. "I know not why you have called us here, Tabuu, but be aware that I _will not_ allow flattery to distract me from this meeting's purpose."

Ignoring her remark, Tabuu now turned to the shortest of the women, clad in a long green dress and bearing a strong resemblance to the Smasher Princess Peach. "Lady Roselina… your beauty _still_ rivals the stars from which your Lumas are born."

Roselina's solemn face remained impassive, but a dark curtain seemed to fall over her eyes as she stared at Tabuu. The Subspace Lord, undeterred, turned to the woman in flowing blue robes and hair the color of the dawn. He picked up her hand and kissed it, ignoring the scoff of disgust he received from her.

"Lady Ashunera, lovelier than the dawn. How I welcome you to my humble realm."

"Let go of me, disgusting wench," Ashunera snarled.

Remaining gallant, Tabuu dropped her small hand and now turned to the three remaining women. They were each clad in a different colored dress: green, red, and blue. Their hair hung around their faces like fire.

"My ladies Din, Farore, and Naryu! A true pleasure to have you three come to my realm today."

"We're on to you, Tabuu," Din's fiery voice crackled.

"Know that if you should _dare_ try toying with us tonight, we will make absolute _sure_ that the moment you perish shall not be swift and painless," Naryu's soft voice echoed.

"State the purpose of this meeting before we grow impatient," Farore's strong voice ordered.

Tabuu, ignoring all three goddesses, now bowed to the two hands and the great beast. "Master and Crazy Hand, I welcome you to my humble abode. Lord Arceus, please, there is no need for such a violent response."

Arceus retracted the Hyper Beam it was ready to use and merely scowled at Tabuu. Master Hand slowly floated forward, while Crazy simply stayed behind and twitched.

"I had to abandon the Guardian today to answer your demand, Tabuu," Master Hand said angrily. "And what happens while Crazy and I are travelling here? Bombs! You have the _gall_ to bomb my Guardians before the date of the Final Battle!"

Tabuu spread his hands innocently. "It was not my idea, but that fool Clark Wolfon's. I had absolutely nothing to do with the foolishness of either your Guardians or my… accomplices…"

_"State why you have called us here, puny Lord,"_ Arceus rumbled. _"My patience wears thin…"_

"Of course, Lord Arceus…" Tabuu looked up at the beings, for many of them towered over him. "My friends, I have called you here today with a proposition!"

Rosalina, her face as impassive as ever, inclined her head. "A proposition? What proposition can a being such as yourself even dare to offer us, we who watch over the Guardians in the hopes of defeating you?"

"Please, heed my words," Tabuu whispered hoarsely. "You wish more than anything to keep your precious Guardians alive, correct? Then perhaps we can reach an agreement with this…"

"Whatever agreement we make with you is like giving Wario garlic," Din said bluntly. "We would be fools to do so."

"Ah, but this agreement? This agreement, where I shall concede all rule over the known universes, Subspace, my powers, _and_ spare the lives of the Guardians for but a tiny price?"

There was a new feeling in the realm now. A feeling of consideration. For a moment, expressions changed to those of wondering, weighing the choices they had. But they soon transformed again. Ashunera now spoke, her gentle voice piercing Tabuu like a knife.

"A price… and tell us, Tabuu, what is the price you ask for?"

Tabuu looked to her. "A _tiny_ price, Goddess Ashunera… I wish for but one ability… the power to _raise the dead_!"

And now the realm's mood turned to panic. Shouts escaped the mouths of every deity in the room. Roselina, the one person that did not shout, paled considerably.

_"ABSURD!"_ Arceus roared.

"YOU SPINELESS WORM!" Din shrieked. Her sisters had to grab her arms to prevent her from smiting Tabuu right away.

"YOU HAVE THE _GALL_ TO DEMAND A POWER THAT DEFIES EVERY LAW OF THE UNIVERSE?"Palutena boomed.

Master Hand pointed one of his huge fingers at the Subspace Lord. "There are nine of us against you, Tabuu. Give us _one_ good reason as to why we shouldn't smite you right here, right now."

Tabuu's sneer widened. "If you smite me now… every Guardian shall die. Ever person, every Pokemon, every slave, and every _Guardian_ shall fall tonight. The Shadow Bugs, without me to bind them, shall be set free. They have the power to consume, to corrupt, and to _destroy_ any person they wish. Do you truly wish to stand by and watch as yet another person… a pure and simple _Guardian_ falls to the power of the Shadow Bugs? Do you truly believe that by destroying me, you shall destroy Subspace?" Tabuu laughed. "No, impossible. Even if I die, Subspace shall live on. Even if your pathetic Guardians somehow pull themselves together and defeat me, the Shadow Bugs shall still run free. But how to prevent this? How to prevent the deaths of thousands more? Just give me the power. I wish to help. Give me the power to raise the dead. I can bring back loved ones that they have lost. I can raise back those who have long died, bringing the knowledge of life back into the world. I can resurrect a new age that is not ruled by Subspace. Give me the power to raise the dead… and I shall go away forever. I shall walk to the darkest corner of the world and simply disappear…" he laughed. "What is more… you cannot kill me. You, who claim to have power beyond mortal thought, cannot kill me. Every single one of you know it. You claim to be pure, but you _know_ that you have seen and heard too much. You are now nothing more than old hags and geezers. You cannot stop me…"

"The power your demand is far beyond our reach, Tabuu," Palutena scoffed. "Do not attempt to deceive us with your lies."

At her words, Tabuu seemed to darken. The bright blue glow around him became a shade darker. The hand that held the Chain of Light trembled slightly, as if he was going to throw it at one of them. When he spoke, his voice was nothing more than a short, angered whisper.

"Then… then perhaps the Guardians will be willing to," Tabuu whispered. "I can offer them… offer them so much more than any of you can… what can you give them, you who claim that the laws of the universe decree that you cannot simply pop in and assist mortals in their affairs?"

"The Guardians all know where their hearts lie," Roselina said quietly. "They know that the prophecy written long ago in the cosmos has bound them to this duty. They wish to free Smashville, nothing else."

And it was then that Tabuu laughed. "Nothing else? Nothing else? You are truly ignorant…" he straightened. "The Champion fight shall go as planned… with your pathetic Guardian Champion falling to the hands of my own…"

"Cameron is more than capable of holding his own against a foe," Master Hand shot back. "Do not even try going against the rules of Trial by Combat, Tabuu. It shall only end in your own, painful demise."

Tabuu laughed once again as the immortals began disappearing through portals, returning to their own worlds. "If it indeed ends in my own demise… I shall take as many Guardians with me as possible. You have been warned, Master Hand. Your precious Guardians shall not make it out of the Final Battle alive! I shall see to it that their deaths are slow and painful! That every bit of pain they feel is matched to every bit of hatred that I feel for you! Know this, Master Hand, and fear it!"

Master Hand, the last to go through the portal, halted briefly and turned to Tabuu. "... You are truly a fool, Tabuu. I place all of my faith and trust in the Guardians... they will not fall so easily."

A thought took form in Tabuu's mind. A thought so horrid that it was a wonder the Subspace Lord had not thought of it before. He sneered at Master Hand with his nonexistent mouth, invisible eyes glimmering dangerously.

"Not of a certain... Champion has anything to say about that."

* * *

Nao shivered slightly in the cold, hugging himself as another gust of wind blew past him. He, along with Sam, Cam, Mah, Kai, Doggie, and Fyre, had been forced to take the night watch. It didn't really matter much to the others- they were all able to protect themselves from the cold in some way- but it really mattered to him.

He had forgotten to grab a jacket.

_"Don't complain,"_ Mewtwo said, reading the boy's thoughts. _"Just remember that it is within your power to withstand cold nights such as this."_

"Shut up, Mewtwo," Nao grumbled irritably. Below him, Sam was attempting to start a fire, but his Fire Arrows refused to stay lit long enough for him to light the tiny pile of twigs he had managed to gather.

"This is freaking retarded," Cam muttered as he wrapped his scarf tighter around himself. "Why the Hell do we have to wait around out here while everyone's inside roasting marshmallows and Ashunera knows what else?"

"Because we have to keep watch, Cam," Mah said for the eighth time that night. She looked quite warm, dressed in a muff that she had found in Zelda's closet. "We don't want that Gerudo Woman… or anyone, for that matter, coming back, do we?"

Nao had to admit that she was right. The attack and the kidnappings had scared the Guardians out of their wits. As such, they were forced to set up a watch system. Nao and the others would be sitting out here until midnight, most likely.

In spite of the cold, the night was beautiful. The moon was a galleon tossed about a ghostly sea. The stars twinkled happily down at the Guardians. Nao had heard this more than once from Mewtwo already, but it was as if Arceus _did_ care about them after all.

The forest remained as dark as ever. If any of them decided to go in there, Nao had no doubt that they wouldn't survive the night. And even if they did, there was no telling how lost they could get. In fact, charging into the forest this late at night was what most would call a "Fool's Errand".

Then, he saw it. A bright flash of red light briefly illuminated the woods. It glanced off the very tops of the trees, but soon faded into the blackness. Nao leaped to his feet, just in time to see a second flash out in the woods.

"Did you guys see that?" Nao asked.

Fyre nodded. "Yeah… that red flash…" he frowned as he continued to stare at the woods. "There was something… familiar about it…"

"Familiar is right," Doggie said as she put away the book she had been reading. "That red… it's the color of Heather's Psyforce!"

A silence fell over the group as they continued to watch the spot where they had seen the red flares. Heather was alive. Those three words, which seemed impossible only hours before, now seemed to come alive. Heather was alive and she was signaling to them.

Someone had to answer her.

Someone… like them.

_"Nao! Don't even think about doing such a thing!"_ Mewtwo ordered. _"It is foolish and unreasonable! It is-"_

Nao leaped down from his spot on the roof and charged, pushing past the other Guardians as he did so. He could hear Mewtwo's protest quite clearly, but none of those mattered. Running footsteps behind him told him that the others were hot on his tail. Whether they were there to help him find Heather or to stop him, he wasn't sure.

But that didn't matter.

Another flash of red lit up the trees around them. Nao grinned as he realized that she was quite near. The opportunity to be able to help a fellow Guardian… to make the Guardians whole again was too great for him. Using Mewtwo's psychic powers, he blasted away every tree and every branch that dared stood in his way.

He saw the clearing. It was the exact same one where the Arwings had landed long ago. It was the exact one where most of the Guardians met for the first time. He remembered that place well. With one last mighty breath, he pushed the bushes that were blocking him aside and charged into the clearing.

And all he could see was red.


	26. Prelude

Prelude

_"DUCK, DAMN YOU!"_ Bowser shouted at his Guardian, still blinded by the bright flash of red.

Fyre, usually quick to react, was the first to duck as Nao's flailing body flew over him. Somewhere behind him, Mewtwo's Guardian ended up crashing into Sam. After a long string of curses, Nao got up, leaving a somewhat irritated Sam to dust himself off.

By this time, the light had faded. The Guardians found themselves to be completely alone in an empty clearing. Except for the quiet whisper of the wind in the trees, all was silent. The source of the light was nowhere to be found.

There was something wrong about this. No matter how hard he tried, Fyre couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. There was just something eerie and completely abnormal about the way the shadows of the trees seemed much deeper and darker than they were before.

"Any sign of Heather?" Nao asked as he looked around. Unfortunately, the stars provided the only light for the Guardians. Even with Sam's use of his Fire Arrows to light up the area slightly, most of them couldn't see five feet ahead of them.

Doggie shook her head. "Nope…" she sniffed around for a moment. "But… I do smell _something_ unusual about this place…"

"You mean other than the fact that we were led here by a red light of some kind, but can't seem to find its source?" Cam asked. "Yeah, I think that's pretty unusual."

Sam started backing up. "Guys… I don't think we're supposed to be here…" he bit his lip. "If this place is empty, we should go back. We're beyond the barrier right now, and-"

"Oh Sam, stop being such a whiner!" Mah said cheerfully. "I mean… look how beautiful the stars are tonight!" she pointed at the sky. "Aren't they just gorgeous?"

Fyre looked up and he had to admit they were quite nice looking. It was an extremely rare occurrence nowadays for stars to shine down on Smashville. In fact, the young man had only ever seen stars once in his lifetime before this. He had been a small boy, barely above six years old…

_"Do you hear that?"_ Bowser asked suddenly, snapping Fyre from his thoughts. For the first time, he noticed that everyone around him had tensed considerably. Doggie's ears twitched slightly as he listened intently to her surroundings.

Fyre closed his eyes, listening as hard as he could. He forced himself to listen beyond the gentle breeze, beyond the quiet rustle of the leaves, and even beyond the steady breathing of the Guardians that had come here with him. For underneath all of the quiet sounds of the night, he could've sworn that he heard something else.

Unlike the rhythmic, somewhat calm sounds of the other Guardians, this sound was rather fast and uneven. If anything, it sounded almost _forced_. There was no doubt that there was someone or some_thing_ lying in wait for them. One wrong move and it would be all over for the Guardians.

_"There's definitely someone here,"_ Bowser said. _"I hope it's Tabuu…"_ not for the first time, the fat dragon let out a low growl. _"I'd like to get my claws on that son of a bitch…"_

Fyre opened his eyes and looked around. The clearing seemed to be as empty as ever. But the forced breathing, now seeming to be even louder, continued. For a moment, the young man could've sworn he saw the menacing, silvery glint of a blade flashing in the dim light of the stars. With a cry of surprise, Fyre jumped back and landed on Cam's foot.

"YEOWCH!"

"Sh!" Mah hissed. "Are you guys _trying_ to wake up Tabuu?"

"There's someone here…" Doggie's voice was quite high, almost a squeak. "We're not alone, guys…"

This time, Kage took initiative. "H-Heather? Heather, are you out here?" she gulped. "It's us, Heather… your fellow Guardians? You know?"

As if in answer to her call, the breathing stopped for a moment. A cold chill ran down Fyre's spine. Shivering, he allowed his hand to curl into a fist, unsure as to why he did that. Heather was an ally, right? She wouldn't attack them just like that, right? Everything was going to be alright…

… Right?

_"I don't like the feel of this,"_ Bowser muttered. _"There's something dark about all of this… something dark and powerful…"_ he grunted. _"I wouldn't be surprised if whatever is watching us is about as powerful as those Power Stars I ate a while ago…"_

In the undulating, uneven light of the stars and Sam's quickly diminishing Fire Arrow, Fyre could just barely make out a strange shape floating a few feet above the branch of a single tree. It was indescribable in so many ways, save for the fact that it was thin as a skeleton and white as a corpse. Before Bowser's Guardian could so much as shout, it was gone in the blink of an eye.

_"What the Hell was that?"_ Bowser asked. _"And how the Hell did it disappear like- HOLY COW!"_

Out of the corner of his eye, Fyre noticed a brief flash of what seemed like a black cloak of some kind. Black would b the perfect color to blend into the night with, he knew, especially if the person didn't want to be protected. From Bowser's experience in the first Subspace War, he knew that it was quite possible that the Shadow Bugs could mold themselves together into something like a cloak. It was usually to act as a diversion, causing their attacker to waste ammo or energy in trying to attack an apparition that could never be destroyed.

"Heather…" Doggie said uneasily. "In the name of all that is Dreamland, come out…" she jumped as she caught sight of what looked like a brief flash of tattoos in the uneasy light. Fyre, seeing this as well, bunched up his other hand into a fist and allowed a bit of the fiery breath he had been holding back to creep into his throat.

"Seriously Heather…" Cam said lowly. "This is seriously freaking us all out here… and we kinda wanna get back to be- AH!" in one swift motion, the Champion unsheathed both Ragnell and Sigmund, holding them both quivering at a particular spot in the bushes. "Did you guys see that?"

"The metal, you mean?" Fyre asked.

_"No, he means the scarred leg, idiot,"_ Bowser snorted. Fyre snarled a bit at him. _"Don't be like that, kid."_

"Guys, I think we should get back…" Sam said uncertainly as his Fire Arrow finally burnt to a crisp. He lit another, but the eerie glow the tiny shaft cast wasn't nearly adequate enough to allow the other Guardians to see a thing. "Something doesn't feel right!"

Nao slowly unsheathed his twin swords. "… Kai! Can you sense anything?"

Kai, who had been silently surveying the scene all this time, shook his head. _"I can't sense any aura whatsoever… if there is truly someone out there, then they're doing something to stop me."_ the Pokemon scowled a bit. _"And Ganondorf's dark magic is certainly not helping."_

_Huff… huff… huff…_

Every single person standing in the clearing whirled at the sound. It was coming from a clump of bushes way off to the side. Swords, eggs, and Pokemon- esque powers came out as the rustling became louder and louder. As the thing in the bushes neared their location, Fyre couldn't help but shiver as he heard the creature's fast, uneven breathing grow in volume. Unthinkingly, he allowed Bowser's flames to rise a little bit more in his throat. Bracing himself, he released a great blast of fire just as their great flow pounced at them…

"OW! HOT! HOT! HOT!" KOR shouted, patting himself to put out the flames. A wordless uproar came in answer to his appearance. It wasn't long before KOR had been pelted by eggs, arrows, and Aura Spheres. It didn't help that he also had to dodge to avoid whirling swords and even more fire.

"KOR! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Cam tried to pounce on the Guardian of the Ice Climbers, only to be held back by Nao. The young man was struggling quite heavily, as using Mewtwo's psychic powers took a lot out of him. "GET OVER HERE SO I CAN TEAR YOU TO PIECES!"

Doggie whacked KOR with the large book she always carried around. "That wasn't funny!"

KOR rubbed the side of his head and grinned sheepishly. "I just thought I'd have a little fun, that's all… I really didn't mean to scare you guys like that…"

Sam frowned. "What I'd like to know is how the heck you managed to make all of those red lights… and the tattoos! How'd you manage to recreate the tattoos?"

"The… tattoos?" KOR asked. It was quite evident from his voice that he did not understand a word Sam had said. "The red lights? Wha-?"

Kage frowned. "The red lights and the tattoos, KOR… we thought you were Heather!"

KOR shook his head. "Listen, I only followed you guys out here because I thought you were all trying to break into the mansion or something. I don't know anything about red lights or tattoos."

"Then…" Fyre frowned. Out of the corner of his eye, he could've sworn he saw a pair of orange eyes gazing at them from a tree. But they were gone in a flash. "If you weren't the one with the red lights and tattoos, then who- HOLY SHIT, IT'S HEATHER!"

Everyone turned at the sound of his voice. But they turned too late. The moment the first word left Fyre's mouth, the completely unmistakable metal leg of the Scion of Rage- which he had seen quite briefly in the dim light of Sam's arrow- had disappeared. Frustrated by the disappearance, the young man forcibly swallowed the flames that were still building in his throat, causing his stomach to burn.

A knot appeared in Fyre's stomach as he realized that whatever was out here didn't want to be seen. Heather, not the type of person to play practical jokes, was either hiding from them or not here at all. In a moment, Sam's fire had burnt out, but he dared not light another. There was just something in the air that told the Guardians that if they should ever try to light something again, it would be the end of them.

A slight breeze danced around them, causing Fyre to shiver. For some strange reason, he could've sworn that he heard it whisper something to him. It was a single word, a very simple command.

_Leave._

In spite of himself, he really did feel like running. Bowser was thinking along the same lines. Unconsciously, he and his fellow Guardians scooted closer together. He noticed that KOR was pulling out what looked like a sniper rifle. Cam was switching Ragnell and Sigmund between hands, unsure of whether to place Ragnell in his left or right. Nao and Kai each had a Shadow Ball and an Aura Sphere out and ready. Kage was tensed in a fighting pose, as was Doggie. But while Kage was unable to pull out any weapon, Doggie was now swinging Dedede's gigantic hammer- which had appeared out of nowhere- in large, slow circles.

Trapped in their tight circle, the Guardians were wary of all sides. Every so often, one of them would catch a glimpse of _something_ and cry out. But other than those few interruptions, all was silent, save the slight hiss of their breathing and the movement of the wind.

_"We should go back…"_ Bowser growled. _"I'm… the others will wake up soon and we're heading out for the final battle in a day or so…"_ in spite of his best efforts, the Koopa King was unable to keep the nervous note from creeping into his voice.

"Guys, we should-" Fyre began.

Kai spoke at the same time. "I sense someone coming-"

Two things happened at the same time.

The first was that Fyre saw Heather. He _literally_ saw Heather. He had only seen her face for a brief second, and he was sure that the others did too, but it was gone before they could react. There was some kind of expression on her face that he wasn't quick enough to read. Fyre frowned in confusion, try to search up the name of such an emotion.

_"… Guilt…"_ Bowser said quietly. There was a new note in the Koopa King's voice now. A note of sadness. _"The exact same emotion when I had to leave Junior behind to go face Tabuu. The same thing I felt all those years, wondering if he was okay…"_

The second was that the bushes started rustling. This time, KOR was with them and unlike before, there seemed to be no warning. Squinting his eyes, Fyre could just barely make out two rather tall figures, as well as what looked like two oddly blobbish shapes. He only had seconds to shove Kai to the ground before a fireball as well as a barrage of arrows sailed over his head.

Four Smashers burst into the clearing.

* * *

KOR recognized them immediately.

Or… Nana did.

_"IT'S US!"_ she shouted. _"Oh my goodness! It's us!"_

_"Don't forget Link and Zelda!"_ Popo added. KOR immediately turned to face the four Smashers at his words. True enough, the bodies of his Smashers, as well as the two Hylians, were standing on the other side. What they were doing here, he would never know. But if there was one thing he knew for sure is that they were here and so were the Guardians.

They had to fight.

"NAO! GO BACK AND GET RINKU AND CIMAR!" Sam shouted as he loaded his bow. "TELL THEM THAT WE'VE FOUND LINK AND ZELDA!"

KOR watched as Sam released the Fire Arrows at the oncoming Smashers. It wasn't long before Aura Spheres too soared through the air. Kage let out a charged beam at them, this one so fast that it managed to pull ahead of the other projectiles and knock Link off his feet. Doggie threw a Gordo. Realizing that he was still holding his sniper, KOR let loose a flurry of icy bullets.

Had they been facing anyone else, the onslaught of powerful ranged attacks would have easily defeated their foe. However, Zelda simply stepped forward and unleashed Nayru's Love. Before the light blue crystal could so much as disappear, the Guardians' various attacks were already on their way back towards them.

_"Duck!"_ Nana shouted

_"NO! TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!"_ Popo said eagerly.

"ARGH!" KOR caught completely off guard by the sudden reflection of his bullets, was forced to duck. In spite of that, he felt a searing pain every time a stray bullet bit into his flesh. It was at times like these that he wished he was able to put on full armor before leaving the base.

Cam, gritting his teeth to fight back the pain of the reflected projectiles, charged towards Link, twin swords humming a deep throated death song. But although the soulless body of the Hero was caught off-balance by the attack, nothing could have prepared Ike's Guardian for what happened next. The Ice Climbers stepped forward and unleashed a blizzard from their mouths. Cam was blasted back, one hand encased in ice. Before anyone could react, the two hopped back into the bushes, most likely to tell Tabuu of what was transpiring.

"CHARGE!" Fyre shouted as he started to melt the ice around Cam's hand. KOR obeyed, this time switching out his sniper for his minigun. The less concentrated spray of icy bullets was met yet again by a powerful Nayru's Love. Just as the Princess was recovering, however, Sam and Kai both slammed into her, pinning her to the ground. Then, Fyre joined the fray, fists whirling, fire licking the corners of his mouth. Before Zelda could so much as attempt to blast Kai and Sam off her, she was being bombarded by powerful and rapid punches.

_"Oh my!"_

_"HELL'S YEAH!"_ Popo laughed. _"Get Link next!"_

Some remnant of Link must've remained in his body, as the Fallen Smasher's grisly yellow eyes widened at the sight of Zelda being forced to the ground. Unthinkingly, he charged, giving KOR the perfect chance to slam the Hero with bullets while his back was turned.

_Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!_

Bombarded by the powerful ice bullets, Link was forced to whirl around and hold up his shield to prevent them from penetrating his guard. Out of nowhere, Kage and Doggie- who had decided to put away Dedede's hammer- pounced on him, pinning the Hero to the ground. Cam was also on the Hero in an instant, swords sheathed, fists flying.

KOR grinned. This was way too easy. The Guardians' numbers greatly outshone that of the Smashers. After all, with the absence of the Ice Climbers, it was a 3:1 ratio.

A familiar urge tugged at his gut. The urge to rip, to tear, and to kill. It was part of the curse the plague had left upon him, in addition to his horrid, weathered hands. Every so often, he had to spill blood. He _needed_ to spill the blood. If he didn't, bad things would happen…

He put down his minigun and desperately tried to beat down the beast that had awakened within him. But no matter how hard he tried, the creature would rear its ugly head and roar. The roar would drive him further towards the bloodlust he _had_ to satiate. Ripping off his gloves to reveal his deadly, gleaming claws, he pounced.

_"KOR, NO!"_ both Ice Climbers screamed. Their voices were far away, almost inaudible to their Guardian's maddened ears. With a laugh maniacal enough to send chills down anyone's spines, KOR did a small flip in the air before diving, claws first, towards the weakened Link.

With superhuman strength, he shoved Doggie, Kage, and Cam aside. Through the red haze that covered his gaze, he could see the shock and the horror of the others. With an inhuman scream, he slammed his claws into the Smasher's back, ripping off a horrid chunk of flesh and splattering blood all over his clothes.

For the first time, Link screeched. It was an unearthly wail that only a soulless creature could ever possess. Grinning maniacally, KOR raked his claws across the now exposed flesh and sheared off even more skin.

Another scream filled his ears, throbbing and pulsing like music. Again and again he raked and sheared the Smasher's flesh while the others simply looked on in shock. He knew why they didn't dare approach. They didn't want to risk being torn to shreds themselves.

_"KOR, get off!"_

_"This isn't cool, man!"_

_"KOR, please!"_ Nana sounded like she was crying. _"Please! We need Link in one piece for Rinku! KOR!"_

"Shut up, bitch…" KOR snarled as he proceeded to slam the tips of his claws into the Hylian's back.

_"DON'T TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!"_ a sharp pain in the very back of his mind told KOR that Popo intended to punish him in some way.

"KOR, stop!" Sam shouted as he struggled to keep Zelda pinned down. The other Guardians, finally finding their voices, echoed his command. "Tearing Link to shreds won't help us at all!"

"Rinku's going to kill you if you keep at this!" Doggie yelled. "Get off!" she tried to grab KOR to pull him off, but one of his claws strayed for a moment from his target to instead claw her across the arm. She fell back with a scream of pain.

In the madness of his bloodlust, in the thrill of feeling flesh tearing beneath his fingers, KOR never noticed the two tiny figures hop down from a nearby tree. Too busy watching in horror at the decimation of Link's body, none of the others noticed either. It wasn't until a blast of ice, ten times colder than anything they had felt before slammed into them that they knew that KOR's rampage was no longer their greatest problem.

Everyone was thrown off their feet and onto the bloodstained glass by a powerful gust of freezing wind. Before they knew it, ice was encasing their feet. The Ice Climbers continued to advance on them, blowing a billowing blizzard from out of their mouths. It wasn't long until the ice had travelled up their legs, their arms, and their torsos. KOR felt the madness fade as he realized just how horrible of a situation he was in. The ice was powerful, more powerful than any of the ice Popo and Nana had ever produced during their training.

_"This isn't normal!"_ Nana whispered. _"This ice… completely unbreakable!"_

_"Tabuu must've somehow been able to enhance our powers like that!"_ Popo said angrily. _"This ice is ten times more powerful than anything we ever fought with!"_

KOR struggled to lift his hand, but the ice held firm. He tried his legs, but they were completely frozen as well. Only his neck and head remained unfrozen, as did a particular circle positioned quite precariously over his heart. He knew from experience that the Ice Climbers were wonderful ice manipulators, but under the control of the Shadow Bugs, they were even more powerful than he had ever imagined.

A flare lit up his vision as Fyre attempted to use Bowser's fiery breath to melt the ice. But all that came out of his mouth was a little puff of smoke. He had a particularly thick layer of ice surrounding him. His body temperature was much too low to produce a flame.

"UGH!" Sam's voice was unusually high. Straining to look over, KOR was just barely able to make out Young Link's startlingly blue eyes. "I can't get out of this!"

"How do ya think I feel?" Dedede demanded, taking control of Doggie. "I'm supposed to be able to break anything, but my Guardian here is too weak to snap a twig!"

"Ice breaker… cannot compute…" ROB said sadly.

Kai 's eyes glowed yellow as he released blast after blast of deep purple magic. "CURSE THIS ICE! I possess the Triforce of Power, damn it! I shouldn't have to fall to something half as useless as _this_!"

"Shut up, Ganonpork," Ike muttered crankily. His Guardian's arm had been frozen just as it was about to touch Ragnell. "Cam's giving me a headache as it is." he glared as Zelda helped Link up. "Geez… even without souls those two can't keep their freaking hands off each other…"

_"Agreed,"_ Popo and Nana remarked.

Link's body picked up the sword he had dropped and turned towards the frozen victims. There was a glare within those horrible yellow eyes that made everyone in the vicinity shudder. Zelda and the Ice Climbers took on a look of smug triumph as the Fallen Hero slowly advanced.

His yellow eyes flickered back and forth between his foes, observing the rather large holes in the ice that were planted right over their hearts and the fact that their necks were quite obviously exposed for the strike of a sword. There was a malicious gleam in his eye that Link never had. It became all too evident that unless a miracle happened, every single one of them would die tonight.

There had to be a way out of this. But although KOR looked every Smasher in the eye, all of them lowered their gaze. Even Ike, a famed tactician, had nothing to say. KOR gritted his teeth and watched as Link slowly turned towards him, remembering how his claws had raked his back.

_"I- I'm going to take over, KOR,"_ Nana said nervously. _"I'll think of a way to get us out of this-"_

_"Hold on, why do you get to take over?"_ Popo demanded. _"I'm better than you! I should-"_

_"You? You'll get him killed!"_

_"And… and you'll be boring!"_

"Will you two just shut the Hell up?" KOR hissed as Link slowly limped towards him. "I'm already dead as it is…"

Zelda was approaching as well. Her eyes were locked on Sam and Kai. She raised one elegant hand and coated it with fire, triumph flashing in her eyes. With little effort, she released Din's Fire, a holy flame in possession of the greatest evil.

The blade flashed in the air as it made the plunge towards KOR's exposed neck. The Ice Climbers' Guardian closed his eyes and waited. He thought about his village before the plague… his mother… his friends…

_CLANG!_

"Hey, don't you know that it's impolite to strike a fallen enemy without asking?"

_FWOOSH!_

"Excuse me, but it's not a very good tactical maneuver to attempt to kill a fallen opponent without checking to make sure there aren't any reinforcements first."

KOR opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was green. Two figures, both clad in chainmail and green tunics, stood in front of the Hylians. Their pointed ears and the Royal Hylian Crest on their armor marked them to be from Hyrule as well.

"Rinku!" Young Link grinned.

"Cimar!" Bowser said in shock.

"… What, no welcome for me?" Nao waved from where he was standing beside Ike. "I'm hurt!"

"NAO!" Ganondorf growled. Despite being frozen, the King of Gerudos had not at all lost his fierce reputation. Or his great temper. "WHAT THE HELL TOOK SO LONG?"

Nao rolled his eyes. "Mewtwo and I got into an argument, he gave me a headache, and I botched up my story a bit so Rinku and Cimar thought I was going nuts."

"You told us that rabid bananas were attacking our fellow Guardians and that we had to go save the Nyan Cat before it was too late!" Cimar snapped, not taking his eyes off of Zelda.

Rinku raised an eyebrow. "I thought he said that bananas were taking over the world while the Nyan Cat went rabid."

"WILL YOU TWO JUST HURRY UP AND GET US OUTTA HERE?" Sam, no longer being controlled by Young Link demanded. His eyes kept going back and forth from Link's gleaming sword, to Zelda's flame covered hands, to the menacing hammers of the Ice Climbers.

For a moment, all was silent. The only sound that could be heard was Nao's quiet tinkering as he used his swords to chip away at the ice around KOR. His swords, made of tempered steel so hard that few substances could break it, worked swiftly. His breathing was deep and labored. He felt the high tension in the air, as did KOR. Any second now, something would happen…

_"KOR…"_ Nana watched as her body slowly spun her hammer, leering at the new arrivals. _"KOR… did you bring your Smashball? Do you have your Smashball with you?"_

KOR nodded in response. He had always kept his Smashball in the right pocket of his jacket. True, it wasn't the best place to put it, but it was better than not having it at all. From Mars' observation, hitting a Smasher with a Final Smash would get them their body back. But no one knew what would happen if said Final Smash hit another Smasher or missed entirely.

Already he could feel that quite a bit of ice was off. Just enough, he believed, for him to be able to break out of it. Gritting his teeth, the Guardian of the Ice Climbers tensed his muscles and pressed both his elbows against the ice as hard as he could.

_Crack!_

The ice shattered, shards flying in all directions. KOR heard the groans of the other Guardians as the ice sliced into the exposed bits of their skin, but he could do nothing about it. Turning around to face his Smashers, he reached into his pocket and enclosed his hand around a small, pulsating sphere.

And there they were, three Guardians facing off against four Smashers. Rinku and Cimar, who had tensed into fighting poses this whole time, were now somewhat relaxed. Their hands, KOR noticed, were in the waist pouches they wore on their belts. The Smashers were watching them warily.

KOR found it strange that they hadn't attacked while the Guardians were distracted. Then again, the fact that two Hylians had appeared out of nowhere and blocked their attacks didn't exactly encourage them.

KOR pulled his Smashball out of his pocket and glanced at Rinku and Cimar. They both nodded. Grinning in ecstasy, KOR closed his powerful claws around the Smashball. Next to him, Rinku and Cimar did the same thing.

_CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!_

_"ICEBEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRG!"_ Popo cackled happily.

_"Don't hurt us too badly, though!"_ Nana said.

Suddenly, the ground underneath KOR's feet began to quake. Blasts of ice cold air erupted from the ground like geysers, narrowly missing the other Guardians. Nao, who was hard at work on chipping away Sam's ice, nearly dropped his sword as a huge fissure opened right next to him. In fact, this fissure soon gave way to a great gaping hole, one so large that it was a wonder no one fell in.

It started with the tip, hard as diamond and as high as any iceberg could be. It did not take long for the tip to elongate and thicken, quickly transforming from a tiny icicle into a huge mountain. Rinku and Cimar leaped back upon seeing it. But as the Smashers tried to do the same thing, a single touch of the great mountain encased them in a block of ice. KOR watched as one particularly large one was thrown high in the air, reflecting the dim light of the moon and stars as it did.

It was as if the light painted a target on it. KOR suddenly had his sniper out and ready. He quickly took aim.

Then the full brunt of what he was about to do hit him. Once Nana and Popo were out of his head that meant no more headaches. No more stress. No more arguments. He had to admit, however, that he was going to miss them.

During his brief time as he Guardian, KOR had learned that Nana was the sweet one. She was also the more level-headed of the two and despite being a wonderful fighter, preferred words to end arguments. She meant everything to Popo. KOR had never really delved into their relationship, thus he did not know if they were siblings or merely friends.

Popo was the hard-headed one. He was the type to charge into a fight without another thought. But he was much stronger than Nana in many respects. It was said that in the old days, if one knocked Nana out of the ring, Popo would still fight no matter what. But if one knocked Popo out of the ring, both he and Nana would go down. It was both frustrating and fascinating how their bond worked. It was well known that he meant everything to Nana. But still, no one knew what type of relationship they both had.

In turn, the Ice Climbers slowly pieced together KOR's past. He had been raised in a small village not far from Smashville. A terrible plague had descended upon it unexpectedly, not long after a few people in the village attempted to rebel against Tabuu. But although those people eventually perished, the plague never went away. Each day, more and more people died. And each day, more and more people would perish. And with each death, more and more people became desperate and hungry.

They had prayed to Tabuu, who they considered a god. They had prayed and prayed and prayed. They had even gone as far as to sacrifice people from the village as an offering. But that only increased the amount of death that was slowly spreading through.

KOR knew that he had to leave that place. Thus, as the plague struck him, he left. He left and was forced to watch as every single person in the village dropped dead. He had escaped the jaws of death, but he had not escaped the plague. As a final insult to him, the virus had left him with a mark as a reminder that no matter where he went, there was no escape.

His claws were this mark. His claws and the urge to go berserk and kill. Sooner or later, someone was going to put an end to him because of those. But when that time came, KOR knew that he would hold his head high.

_"KOR…"_ Nana whispered. From the sound of her voice, it was pretty obvious that she was pretty much ready to cry. _"I can't believe it's time already…"_

_"Do it, man!"_ Popo said. _"You don't have much time left to shoot! We'll break out of it eventually…"_

KOR gulped, his sniper shaking slightly. "I… I just want you guys to know that-"

_"That you'll miss us, I know…"_ Nana said. _"But you must do this **now**, KOR."_

_"And don't worry about missing us,"_ Popo laughed. _"We'll… we'll just be seeing you soon, alright?"_

KOR nodded. "Yeah…" he pointed his gun at the huge block of ice, watching as it slowly descended. Through the transparent barrier, KOR could see the bodies of the two Ice Climbers already struggling to break free. He leveled the weapon, placed his finger on the trigger, and pulled.

_BOOM!_

* * *

_"Incoming!"_ Zelda warned.

"NAYRU'S LOVE!" Cimar quickly spun around, coating his hands with magic. The blue diamond that appeared around him served as a barrier to reflect the ice shards that were currently flying towards him. Next to him, Rinku merely put up his shield, but still took the full brunt of the ice. Nao, who had been working on unfreezing the Guardians, was forced to put up a psychic shield to ward away the ice.

Cimar watched as the block of ice holding the Ice Climbers within shattered and the two bodies fell. They lay unmoving upon the ground. But from the spark of triumph in KOR's eyes, Cimar could tell that he had successfully managed to place his Smashers back in their bodies.

"KOR, go help out Nao," Cimar ordered. "Rinku and I will take the Hylians!"

"But we're Hylians…" Rinku said.

"You know what I mean!"

Cimar looked around the battlefield, analyzing the tactical aspects of it. He noticed that although both Link and Zelda possessed the power to break free of the ice containing them, each time they would touch the mountain, another block of ice would form around them. If timed correctly, both he and Rinku could hit the Hylians while they were frozen, thus reducing the chance of their Final Smashes missing.

_"Cimar, we're going to have to put everything we've got in your Final Smash…"_ Zelda said. _"It seems to be the only weapon that can get us back into our bodies…"_

Cimar nodded. "Exactly, Princess…" he looked down at his Smashball and smiled. "It seems… it seems that soon, you shall be reunited with your Hero and lo-"

_"C-Cimar!"_ an extremely flustered Zelda chided. _"How dare you! I don't… I mean…"_

"Don't get your stockings in a twist, Zelda," Cimar laughed. "I was just teasing you, 'tis all. Anyways, I truly hope that you both have a happy reunion and everything. After all, a hundred years of being away from your body might do things to you…"

_"CIMAR!"_

"Kidding, kidding, Your Highness!" Cimar laughed yet again.

It had been a rough road for him and Zelda. Ever since he had met her for the first time, there was always something ready to get in the way of them. Whether it was an evil overlord trying to keep all of Hyrule under his iron fist, or merely a wave of Primids, never a day seemed to go by without news of attack. But no matter what happened, Cimar would remain loyal to the Guardians and his Smasher. And eventually, there were days that passed by in peace.

Origin stories had been exchanged during this time. Zelda, Queen of Hyrule, had been born and raised within the walls of Hyrule Castle. Her mother, Queen Delia, had perished not long after the princess' fifth birthday. Her father, the King, not knowing how to care for his daughter, had left her instead with her nursemaid.

Many years later, the Twilight struck Hyrule. Zant, the mad overlord, came into the palace and changed any person he did not kill into a spirit. Zelda was forced to surrender the castle in her father's name. As the dark Twili magic covered Hyrule, the Princess was forced to watch and wait for the prophesized Hero Chosen by the Gods to come.

That Hero had been Link.

But Link's adventure describing how he restored Hyrule had long faded to legend by the time Cimar was old enough to read. He had been raised in secret to become a Disciple of Wisdom. With Sorius' takeover, it was only natural that the evil king intended that the wisdom that once bathed Hyrule would give in to his power. As such, there had been many, many book burnings. A few brave individuals had managed to hide the books underground, along with some younglings who had lost parents because of the war. They had been raised to embrace knowledge and enlightenment. And it was because of all of this that Sorius had tried to stop them at all costs.

Cimar had met Rinku for the first time when the prince ran away. He had been dehydrated and starving. Although he could not stay nearly as long as he needed to help the young man, Cimar had left him all the water and food he had with him. It was truly an amazing thing to meet him again.

Like many scholars, Cimar understood the concept of a beginning and an end. It was here that he knew that this was the beginning of the end. Whether he was completely sure of himself or not, he never really understood. He just knew that tonight, something was going to end but something completely new would begin.

He turned and locked his eyes upon the delicate body of the Princess as it was frozen and unfrozen over and over again. Concentrating on nothing more than returning the princess to her body, he unleashed all the energy that the Smashball had built up within him.

A golden bow appeared in his hand. A deep blue aura surrounded his entire being. The Triforce of Wisdom on his right hand glowed and shot out of it, encasing his target in a spinning prison of light. Zelda was left completely vulnerable and unable to retaliate as she struggled to break free of the powerful Triforce prison.

Cimar drew back the arrow upon the golden bow and aimed directly at the Princess' heart. A bright light swirled around him, mingling with the bright blue aura surrounding his hand. In a single fluid motion, he released the arrow. The ornate Arrow of Light streaked through the skies like a comet, its razor-sharp broad head piercing Zelda's body like it was made of butter.

First came a scream, so unearthly that it was a wonder that any body could ever possess such a voice. Next came the trembling of the ground as the huge icy mountain began to disappear back from whence it came. Third came the flash of a sword as Link's body finally broke free of its final block of ice and charged straight at Cimar. Cimar only caught a glimpse of the pure, intense hatred in his great yellow eyes before another flash of green blocked his view.

_CLANG!_

* * *

"It's not polite to try to hit an unarmed opponent, Link!" Rinku smirked. He had managed to intercept Link's blow with his powerful shield just in time.

_"I hope Zelda's alright…"_ Link said worriedly. He had been thinking about almost nothing else from the moment the Princess' body had been encased in a spinning Triforce.

"She's alright, Link, chill," Rinku said loftily. "Hey Cimar, if you don't mind, I'd like to take on this one myself."

"Good luck, Rinku," Cimar said simply before turning around and kneeling before Kai.

_"… It's time, isn't it?"_ Link asked. In many ways, Rinku was sure that the Hylian had been preparing for this day for a long time. After all the adventures they had together, it was all going to end here.

There was a beginning and end to everything. Link's life had begun in a quiet village called Ordon and in a way, it had ended on the Plains of Smashville. He had never stopped blaming himself for what had happened on that faithful day. In penance of this, he had taken it upon himself to drill Rinku long and hard on the secret arts of the sword. Everything from the Helm Splitter to the Back Slice was passed on to his Guardian. Now today, of all days, it was time for his teachings to shine through.

Rinku's life had begun in a time of poverty and war. His mother, Sorius' concubine, gave birth to him alone and miserable. He had been her greatest joy, her shining light in the darkness that had long covered Hyrule. But although both his parents seemed human, Rinku- like Cimar- had been born with the pointed Hylian ears of old.

The life of Prince Rinku had ended when the boy ran away at a young age. Although Sorius tried everything to raise him to embrace his power and become a dictator like him, Rinku had inherited his mother's personality. His sense of righteousness led him to join the Warriors of Courage, quickly becoming one of their most capable fighters. And it was here that the life of Rinku, Warrior of Courage took off.

There was a beginning to all things. The beginning of their partnership was when Link had been released and saw a war-ravaged Hyrule. And now, this was the end.

_"You're one good kid, you know that?" _Link asked. _"I gotta say… I wouldn't ask for any other Guardian… well, okay, maybe Cimar. Because he actually thinks before-"_

"Hey! I thought these goodbye things were supposed to be, you know, touching?"

_"Sorry dude, I don't do touching. I'm just here to hack, slash, yell, and hopefully avoid getting kicked in the balls."_

"Touché."

Rinku smirked as he slammed the crosspiece of his sword into Link's exposed left side. He forced the Hylian back with powerful jabs and slashes.

Link's sword retaliated, however, and it was not long before the two were locked in mortal combat. Rinku was much faster than Link, but the Hero's blows were all timed masterfully and each hit jarred Rinku to the very bone. Both young men had been practically born with a sword in hand, but Link's body had an extra 100 years to perfect his training. If it had been anyone else up against the powerful Hylian, it was all too obvious who the winner would be.

But Rinku wasn't just anyone.

He was the Guardian of Link.

The Triforce of Courage glowed bright green, blasting away from his hand and encasing his foe in a spinning Triforce-shaped cage of light as he tried to close in for another attack. Rinku grinned, spinning his sword in a whirling pinwheel of light as he used his superior speed to move in for the "kill".

His attacks were lightning fast, every slash and stab timed in perfect succession. He dashed by Link and slammed him with a power side cut on the first blow, only to turn around and come back for a power backhand overhead cut on the next. Back and forth he went, zooming around like Sonic in his Super Form. With every slash, he felt as if a weight was slowly being lifted from his shoulders. The more he slashed, the lighter he felt.

It was time.

Rinku skidded to a halt in mid-air and prepared his sword, smirking devilishly at the still trapped Hero. With a battle cry loud enough to shake the heavens, he charged, the Master Sword flashing silver in the bright light of the Triforce.

"HYAAAAAAAHHHH!"

* * *

Nask picked up her armor and sighed. It had been exactly two days since the attack of the Ice Climbers, Link, and Zelda. Since then, the four Smashers had chosen to stay at the Guardians base rather than return to Tabuu. It was a terrible risk they were undertaking, but truth be told, Nask wasn't altogether sure if Tabuu really cared whether or not some of his Smashers returned.

_"He is an uncaring monster,"_ Marth said, reading his Guardian's thoughts. _"And thus it is imperative that we put a stop to him."_

Nask nodded. "I know…" she picked up her Naginata and looked at the blade, staring at her reflection. "It's just… I never thought this day would come so soon…" her voice broke as the full brunt of what she said hit her.

Today was the day when they, the Guardians, would begin their march. They would be accompanied by the two hands, but it was today when the Final Battle would begin. Their Champion, Cameron, was already there at the battlefield, going over tactical strategies and the like with Cimar and Zelda. The pilots were busy fixing up their ships and quite a few Guardians were going over last minute training sessions. But even with all of this preparation, their chances of victory were still much too slim for comfort.

A worm squirmed in Nask's stomach. They had an escape plan for the younger Guardians, sure, but even the best escape plan could fail. What was more, there were so many things that she wanted to do that after today, she may never be able to.

It was so easy to remember the old days, when the only thing she really cared about was one day taming and riding a powerful wyvern. It was so easy to remember the days when her mother was alive and before her brother, Ridere, was separated from her. Now, after so many years, she had found him at last.

But he didn't remember a thing.

_"Are you afraid, Nask?"_ Marth asked. _"Because… because it's alright to be afraid…"_

She would never admit it, but she was afraid. She was afraid that she would not make it out alive. She was afraid that she would die and Ridere would not know her for who she really was.

_"You **must** speak to him, Nask,"_ Marth urged. _"This can be your one and only chance to-"_

"… Even if I speak with him, Marth, his reaction will be the same as before," Nask slowly sank into a chair. "He doesn't remember me at all, Marth. He only remembers life on… on that ship…"

_"Nask… you can't give up now… you're not that kind of person…"_

"I have no choice," Nask whispered. "I… If I address this to him, he'll… he'll be distracted. I know him well enough to know that if there's a problem on his mind, it'll distract him. And he does get distracted easily… if that happens during a vital point of the battle…" she shook her head. "I can't bear it… the thought of any of us not making it out alive…"

_"Nask…"_ Marth sighed. _"It… it is the curse of every tactician and commander to be forced to send soldiers to war, knowing that it was very, very likely that few would make it out alive. But no matter what happens, you must do the right thing. You must soothe your conscience and know that what you are doing is right. If I didn't kiss Sheeda goodbye before leaving for the Plains, I don't believe I never would have forgiven myself."_ Marth's voice cracked slightly at the sound of his deceased beloved's name. _"War is both a time of rejoice and sorrow… rejoice at your victories, but wail over the pain of losing those you have come to know as friends."_ he gulped. _"I… I know that what I have said may not pertain to the situation at hand, but… but I believe what I'm trying to say is that…"_ he gulped. _"Is that there is a great difference in doing what is best… and doing the right thing."_

Nask hung her head, her hand travelling- seemingly on its own- into the pocket of her pants. She meant to grasp onto her Smashball, but instead felt the tiny, smooth texture of something that she had long forgotten about. Gingerly, she pulled out the little white music box with the painting of a rose on its cover. Despite her many battles, it had somehow remained completely untouched and devoid of blemishes that such a delicate object would surely gain from such wear.

It was the one thing of beauty that she owned. The attack on Altea and her father's squandering had greatly diminished the family treasury. They had been forced to sell many prized possessions just to buy the crusts of bread they needed to survive. And that was when it was only her and her father, not long after Ridere had been cruelly taken from them.

_"Play the tune again, Nask,"_ Marth said wistfully. _"I remember it… it was played at mine and Sheeda's wedding…"_

Nask dutifully turned the music box upside down and twisted the key. It was then that she noticed for the first time that there was not one, but two keyholes on the bottom of the box. However, she only possessed one key. When she tried placing the other key in the hole, it wouldn't fit. Frowning, she placed the key she did have back in the correct hole and turned it.

Once done, she flipped open the lid. A tinkling tune emitted from it, one that slowly undulated with a rhythmic pulse that was both saddening and uplifting. It was the kind of song that would be the perfect medicine for the cheeriest and hardest of times. However, it was hardly music fit to be listening to just before the final battle.

Nask soon found herself lost in the music, as did Marth as memories swam past them. Nask remembered happier times when her mother was alive and Ridere was well. Marth remembered his first man and wife dance with Sheeda and the first day he laid eyes upon her. For a moment, the mood in the tiny room of the Smash Base seemed to change and flow with the music. For just a tiny moment, it was as if it could never be broken. For just one teensy little moment, Nask and Marth weren't grim soldiers getting ready for war. They were smiling and laughing people, leading carefree lives.

"… Excuse me…?"

The spell was broken. The little room became a dismal place once again. The light that seemed to radiate from every corner of the room disappeared. The former Prince of Altea and his Guardian were grim soldiers once again. Smiling wistfully, Nask closed the lid to her music box and turned around.

Ridere stood in the doorway, his arms crossed. His face was a mixture of confusion and wonder. Marth saw Snake flickering behind Ridere's eyes. From the way he was dressed, he was all ready to march out to battle. Nask and Marth couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when they realized that it would not be long now.

"That song…" Ridere began awkwardly. "I… I've heard it before…"

Nask paused. "You… you have?" Marth felt a flutter of hope in her.

Ridere nodded. "Yeah… I used to hum it to myself back on the ship when they made me swab the deck. But I never knew where it came from…" he frowned, furrowing his brows.

"It's… it's the Song of Altea…" Nask said.

_"Written and composed by a man long dead,"_ Marth sighed. _"Played for the first time ever during a wedding between…"_ he trailed off.

Ridere took a step closer, staring at the music box. "I remember… I remember that too…" he frowned.

Nask nodded. "This used to belong to my mother… it was passed on to me when she… left the mortal plane."

Ridere cocked his head. "Well… I doubt that you're my mother…" he hesitated. "But… you do have… I mean… you seem familiar…"

Nask smiled sadly at him. "I guess so, don't I?"

Ridere nodded. "Yeah… I guess you do…" he kept frowning at the music box, never taking his eyes off it even as Nask put it away.

_"Nask… now's the time…"_ Marth said desperately. Much to his annoyance, she ignored him.

"I… I must be getting ready for the battle," Nask picked up her Naginata and stood up. "Ridere… I wish you luck…"

When Ridere said nothing, she gave him a gentle pat on the head and turned towards the door to leave. Just as she reached the doorframe, something stopped her. It was a soft whisper from Ridere, possibly him talking to Snake. She couldn't help but feel that it was something about her.

"Hey… Hey Nask?" Ridere asked, his hand digging into his pocket.

Nask turned. "Yes, Ridere?"

"I… Snake… Snake and I couldn't help but notice that your music box… it only had one key, but it had two keyholes…"

Nask turned and nodded. "Yes… I don't have the other key, unfortunately… but I am interested in what winding the other key will do…"

Ridere dug around in his pocket a bit more for a moment before pulling out a small gold object. It was a rather small and simple gilded key. "I've had this thing for who knows how long… and I've got no idea how the Hell it got into my pocket…" he walked over to Nask and handed it to her. "But… but if you can use it…"

Nask was already back at her desk by the time Ridere had finished with his sentence. She briefly dug in her pocket for her music box before placing it on the table and inserting the key into the vacant hole. Much to her pleasure, it fit. Carefully, she turned the key and propped the music box on the table. She felt Ridere's eyes following her as she opened the lid.

_"Naskara! Ridere! If you are hearing this, then that means you two have successfully reunited the second key with the music box…"_

_"The Hell?"_ Marth asked in disbelief.

She knew that voice well. It was her mother's, bell-like and clear as mountain air. She had not heard her voice since that faithful day when their old castle was attacked. She remembered how her mother had pressed the music box into her hand, begging her to keep it safe at all costs.

Ridere gawked. "S-She… she knows who I am!"

_"Strange indeed…"_ Marth murmured. _"She must have recorded this message before… before she-"_

_"I don't know if you two will ever be separated… but I have a feeling that something will go horribly wrong… but whether it is here and now or in the future, I do not know,"_ Nask's mother continued. _"I just wish you two to know that no matter what happens, I'll always be proud of you… of both of you. I know that you both will rise up and do the right thing. I know that you are both destined for greatness…"_

Nask felt a lump in her throat. "M-Mom…"

_"You will both rise up and end all of this war, this pain, and this suffering… I just know it. I know that you both will be at each other's side until the day you yourself will leave terra firma…"_ her mom's voice cracked slightly. _"Just remember you two… I love you… and I always will…"_

It was here that the recorded message ended.

For what seemed like hours, Nask and Ridere simply stood there and stared at the music box, unsure of what to say. But it was all too obvious to Marth and Snake that something had to be said. But whereas Marth gave Nask a gentle chiding, Snake practically shoved Ridere.

"… That key…" Ridere began, breaking the awkward silence. "I… I was told that that key would help lead me back to find out who I was…"

Nask nodded, fighting back tears. "Ridere… I thought… when you didn't recognize me, I thought that I had lost you forever…"

"It was supposed to 'unlock the secrets of my past'…" Ridere went on. "It was supposed to lead me back to the mother I lost… the father I hated… and…" he locked eyes with Nask. "The sister I've found…"

Nask's eyes welled up in tears. "Ridere…"

"Nask…"

Then, in unison.

"FINALLY!"

* * *

Cam was starting to have second thoughts about this whole thing. After all, everything did ride on him. If he failed, not only would _he_ die, but so would everyone else. It was a huge tactical gamble to place everything that the Guardians had worked for in one single Champion, but if it gave them the best opportunity to save as many lives as possible, then it should be well worth it.

"Hey Cam, do you want your emblem to be in red or pink?" Pikana called from the table she was working at. Truth be told, Cam wasn't all too happy when he found out that the crazy Pokemon girl was going to help him with his armor and such. "Because I have to say, black is so _boring_!"

"Make it red, _please_!" Cam said quickly, picking up Ragnel to sharpen it. "Ashera, no one will _ever_ take me seriously if it's… that other color…"

Pikana shrugged. "Suit yourself, Cammie!"

Cammie. He remembered that She used to call him that. He remembered how much She smiled every time she said that nickname of his. It both annoyed and pleased him.

_"… You ready, Cam?"_ Ike asked gruffly. He had been awfully quiet since Cam woke up today.

"… If I say no, will that mark me as a wuss?" Cam asked.

_"Possibly,"_ Ike shrugged. _"But it's not like anyone's judging you. After all, it's pretty possible that you're going to get owned very quickly."_

"Yune, do you have to be so blunt?" Cam asked.

_"Yes, yes I do,"_ Ike shrugged. _"Can't lead a team of mercenaries without being blunt, after all. If you're all flourishing with your words and stuff, no one's going to take you seriously."_

"Well…. How about some words of _encouragement_ then?"

Ike laughed. _"How do I know said words of encouragement won't go to your head?"_ without waiting for an answer, he plowed on. _"Listen, Cam… do you know what you're fighting for here?"_

"Well let's see…" Cam thought a moment. "I seem to be fighting for freedom, for the Guardians, for Master Hand, for you Smashers, for Tabuu to get his ass kicked…"

_"As true as all of those things are…"_ Ike said carefully. _"There's still one you missed… you're fighting for a future, Cam… a future that Smashville- and all of the known worlds- deserve. A future without some asshole dictating everything that you must think and do…"_

"… The way you put it sounds like you're trying to say that I _can_ beat up one of the greatest fighters in the known worlds," Cam said quietly.

_"Who knows? Maybe my awesomeness has rubbed off on you."_

"Yeah, yeah, what-"

"CAAAAAAAAAAAAMIIIIIIIIIIE!" Pikana called cheerfully. "I have a present for you!" she walked over carrying two large packages.

"Pikana… don't _ever_ call me that again," Cam told her. "Now… what have you got?"

Pikana placed the two on the ground and with a great flourish, unveiled the one on top. It was a beautiful armored coat, made out of what looked like glass woven together. When picked up, the armor was even lighter than air. But according to Cimar, who had spent countless hours preparing it, it was as hard as a dragon's scale. This mithril battle armor, taken from the treasuries of Hyrule, would be just enough to keep Cam- and the other Guardians who were able to wear this- alive.

An emblem was painted on the surcoat. Two swords, one large and broad like Ragnell and one shorter and skinny like Sigmund, were crossed in a large X. Depicted behind these two swords was a Smashball, painted solid red. It was the simplest, yet the most beautiful thing Cam had seen.

"Pikana… I-"

The little Pikachu reached out and touched her hand to a tiny little Pokeball in the corner with a bazooka behind it. "My emblem… since I don't get any of this fancy armor…" she smiled sadly. "Win this, Cam… for me and my…" her voice caught. "My… Picho and Pichn."

Cam bent down and ruffled her curly hair. "I'll do my best…"

Her expression turned mischievous. "You better! Or else I'll shove Bazookie up your ass!"

In the distance, a trumpet sounded. Both Cam and Pikana looked up towards the source. It was coming from the Plains of Smashville, the sight of the beginning and the end.

_"The Call of War…"_ Ike whispered.

"They're calling you…" Pikana said quietly.

Cam nodded. "C'mon guys… it's time…"

The march was long and painfully tense. Whispers sounded all around as Cam was forced to the front of the group. Master Hand floated alongside him, talking in a low voice to Crazy, who continued to twitch. It wasn't long before they finally cleared the final path and entered the Plains of Smashville.

It was a truly horrible place, still littered with the vessels of dead Shadow Bugs. It was said that this place once used to be full of life, but had long become a desolate wasteland. With every step, Cam felt his heart becoming heavier and heavier as he realized that this was it. A knot tightened in his stomach as he saw that the Subspace Armada was already there.

There were thousands- no, millions- of Primids. The army was so large that it took up half the field. At the very front of the hoard stood Tabuu and the Smashers that had not been freed. Up above, the Arwings floated. Cam took a deep breath, praying that Falco and Wolf were still on their side.

Next to him, he felt Link stiffen, wrapping a hand around Princess Zelda. To his right, he saw Cimar adjust his cloak and Rinku fidget with his sword buckle. Cam found himself also checking to make sure that his armor was in place.

Master Hand halted the Guardians army and slowly floated forward, coming to meet Tabuu in the middle between the two. Although the giant hand possessed no face, Cam had no doubt that his expression was both tensed and angered.

"So, Master Hand…" Tabuu sneered. "You have arrived…"

"Indeed I have, Tabuu," Master Hand said. "Prepare yourself, for today, you shall meet your match."

The Subspace Lord laughed. "I think not, foolish Hand! For today, it shall be _you_ who will feel my wrath!"

"We shall see, Tabuu…" Master Hand said gravely. "But know that I have complete faith in my Champion and his abilities…"

"You place your faith in foolish causes and that shall lead to the demise of not only you, but all the Guardians here!" Tabuu laughed again. "And this time, no foolish Prophecy shall stand in my way!"

"You know the rules of Trial by Combat, Tabuu," Master Hand continued. "There shall be only one Champion from each party… the moment the Champion representing a party falls, that party forfeits all hopes of victory."

Tabuu waved a large, blue hand. "I know the rules, Master Hand… but remember this! The moment any of your precious Guardians try something underhanded, I shall declare full- scale war! And know that not a single one of those ridiculous teens shall make it out alive!"

"Your vow has been noted," Master Hand said calmly. Then, he raised his voice. "CHAMPIONS! STEP FORWARD!"

Cam froze. He didn't think it would happen so suddenly. The battle? Here? Now? Already?

Link gently pushed him forward. Numbly, Cam managed to get his legs to move and he stiffly made his way to the center of the battlefield. At the same time, a tall, cloaked figure made their way to meet him. This cloaked figure unnerved him. There was something familiar about them, but also cold and vacant.

"Champions… state your names and your purpose," Master Hand said. "And you may begin at your ready…" he added in a lower voice. "Good luck, Cameron… may the Immortals smile down upon you…" with that, both he and Tabuu floated away.

Cam gulped. "I am Cameron of Tellius! Guardian of Ike and wielder of the Cursed Blade Ragnell and the Blessed Sword Sigmund!"

"And now for my champion." Tabuu's devilish grin chilled the Guardians to the very bone.

Slowly, the cloaked figure raised their hands to their hood and lowered it. They remained silent the whole time. Cam watched in fear and shock as their face was revealed. His every muscle froze, his skin crawled, and the knot in his stomach became all the more tighter.

"Hello Cameron." Heather spoke.


	27. Battle of the Champions

Battle of the Champions

"H-Heather?" Cam asked in disbelief. "What? I… I don't understand. Wha-"

Heather swung her sword and bent her knees, ready to pounce forward. Her expression remained completely vacant.

"Heather, what's going on? Why are you on the wrong side? Why are you fighting _me_? How-"

A flash behind her eyes occurred. However, it disappeared just as quickly.

"Heather, listen. I don't want to fight you," Cam said. "Not only will I get my ass handed to me, but this isn't _right_! You're not supposed to be working for Tabuu! You're-"

"So you're willing to give up the one slim chance you have to save Smashville?You're ready to let Smashville fall into the hands of Tabuu because of cowardrice?" Heather barked out, her eyes flashed with anger.

"No, but-"

"Then what the hell are you doing standing there?" Heather poked his chest with her sword as she held it straight to him. Her eyes seemed to give everything away. Right at this moment, she was fighting for Tabuu. Cam did not know or understand why she was. But the message was clear.

She would give him no quarter.

Cam gulped. "Heather… must it really come down to this…?"

Pointing her sword up in her right hand towards him, Heather's eyes flashed harshly once more to urge him on.

_"Unsheathe both swords and point the one you wield in your right hand at her,"_ Ike instructed. _"That means that you accept her challenge."_

"But-"

_"No buts, Cameron,"_ Ike said gravely. _"If… if she really chose this path of her own free will, then there's nothing we can do… and… and it's your duty… as Champion of the Guardians, you are to battle whoever Tabuu chooses to send in for battle. And the person he chose was Heather…"_

"I really don't wanna do this…" reluctantly, Cam unsheathed Sigmund and Ragnell. Ragnell, which he was wielding in his right hand, was raised and pointed at his opponent. In spite of himself, Cam couldn't stop his arm from shaking. "H-Heather Wolfon… Scion of Rage and Guardian of Wolf…"

_"Don't back off now, Cam… you made it this far already. Remember, you're fighting for the future of Smashville… and in the name of your lady…"_

". Ready." Cam enunciated each word. As soon as he was done speaking, his arm stopped shaking.

At this, Heather smiled. Albeit briefly, but she smiled, appearing to be proud of him for putting aside his fear and values at last.

It was a strange feeling…

Now all he had to do was wait. Wait for Heather to either attack or wait for him to attack.

_"Don't let your guard down,"_ Ike said. _"And no matter what happens, don't let your enemy achieve a hit with the first blow. Be on your toes and ready."_

Cam stared at Heather. She hadn't moved a bit since he accepted her challenge. A soft wind blew around the two of them, causing Cam's red scarf and Heather's black cloak to swing in the breeze. Despite the tension in the air and the obvious silent urging of others for them to attack, neither of the Champions moved a muscle.

Ike took the time to examine the sword Heather was holding. He wasn't surprised to see that the Wolfon wasn't wielding her red beam sword or staff. Although the two weapons were both powerful in their own right, wielding them would prove to be more of a liability than an advantage. Compared to the likes of other blades such as Ragnell and Sigmund, the beam sword was light and weak and her staff would slow her speed down. Heavy blows from weapons such as those would hurt, yes, but not lethal.

This new sword she had was large, not nearly as large as Ragnell, but still quite large. It was also pitch black, as if made of obsidian. Had it been wielded by anyone else, Ike would have assumed it to be just that. However, the fact that it was Heather, under the command of Tabuu, told the former Smasher that there was something else making up the blade. The fact that the sword was pulsing and throbbing, as if it possessed a heartbeat, only confirmed his suspicions.

It was a blade made of Shadow Bugs, a sword dangerous to both sides of the field. It was said, Ike knew, that although a weapon made of Shadow Bugs granted the user the power to overcome their greatest enemies,it could quite easily turn on them as well. Most powerful dark weapons were like that. Fulfill the duty you were supposed to fulfill and you would be rewarded with great prowess in battle. But fail to do so and you would begin wishing you were dead.

He then proceeded to study Heather's build critically, eyeing in particular her rock hard muscles. Someone built like her would most likely be honed specially for terrific strength, stamina, and defense. But with such skill came a cost. Speed would most likely be extremely low, as would resistance to magical attacks and maybe even luck. Such a thing would be quite important in a battle such as this.

Cause they'd would need all the luck they could get…

_"It doesn't look like she's going to make a move any time soon,"_ Ike said uneasily. _"I guess… I guess you'll have to go first…"_

Cam spun Ragnell and slammed it into the ground, the golden blade summoning forth a magical shockwave that headed straight for his opponent. A smirk appeared on his features as Heather immediately sidestepped to avoid the shockwave. Because of that, she had placed herself in such a way that it would be all too easy for him to land a blow.

Using the strength Ike had gifted to him, Cam lifted Ragnell of the ground with ease and charged at the Wolfon, Sigmund crackling with energy. Meanwhile, Ragnell spun in fluid circles easily in his right hand, humming a deep-throated death song. As soon as he was within range, he thrust Sigmund at her neck and Ragnell swooped in for an underhand slice.

Heather might not have been honed for speed, but her reflexes were lightning quick. She kicked Ragnell away just before it reached her, while swiping her metal arm across her neck to catch Sigmund, blocking its path to her neck. Then, using her left leg, she aimed a powerful kick right into the Guardian of Ike's stomach.

Now it was her turn to smirk.

Winded, Cam staggered, almost losing his balance as he recoiled from the impact of the kick. But before he could so much as cry out, another kick was already on its way, bathed in magical light. Although the kick itself stung horribly, nothing could compare to the fiery burning that soon spread forth from the spot where it hit.

"ARGH!" Cam clutched the spot, his head spinning. "What the hell?"

_"Magic!"_ Ike gasped. _"Damn that woman! I've never been the type to resist that crap for long!"_

Eyes watering in pain, Cam now took this opportunity to jab at Heather with Sigmund. As soon as she moved to block it, he slammed Ragnell into her, jarring the Wolfon to the very bone. Then, with a great 'zap', Sigmund released electricity right into her.

With her low resistance, the magical attack radiating from the sacred thunder blade hurt like hell. Summoning up what seemed to be the last of her will, she pressed her left palm into Cam's chest and it wasn't long before red psychic electricity surged all through his body.

"ASHERA DAMN!" Cam cried out as he was blasted to the ground. Heather rushed at him now, sword drawn as her eyes burned with fiery ambition.

_"GRAB HER!"_ Ike shouted.

The moment the words left the mercenary's lips, Cam rolled sharply to avoid Heather's next blow and swiped at her legs with Ragnell, catching both on the flat of the huge sword and sending her toppling. But just before she hit the ground, he grabbed her left arm and twisted it to the side, ears ringing as she cried out yet again.

But then came the hilt of her sword. With amazing strength, she slammed it into the side of his nose, bringing forth a horrid crunching sound and causing blood to run down his face. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as Cam rolled away and kicked up his legs, using the momentum to bring him to his feet again. Heather shakily stood up as well; blood running from the wounds Cam had managed to inflict on her.

Cam slammed Ragnell into the ground once again, sending yet another shockwave towards his opponent. Heather side-stepped yet again, giving him the perfect opening through which he would strike. He charged, Sigmund and Ragnell, ready to deliver some heavy, crippling blows.

Heather's sword flicked upwards and caught the blow that Sigmund was intended for, but Ragnell came whirling at her and slashed her upper left arm. With a growl, Heather quickly twisted her sword and stabbed, aiming right for Cam's throat. Taking a step back, Cam crossed both Sigmund and Ragnell in an X-shaped formation, catching the blade between the two and holding it there for all its worth.

Heather smirked.

"It appears you've learned a trick or two. Ha ha ha…I didn't think I'd enjoy this battle so much..." she wrenched her sword free and this time gave him an underhanded cut. Cam dodged just in time.

Then, something strange happened. Sigmund whirled right at her, crackling deadly magical electricity. He was much too fast for Heather to dodge, which cost her quite dearly. A shriek of pain escaped the Wolfon's lips as both the razor sharp tip and the crackling electricity were driven home. Cam grabbed the blade with both hands, twisted once and then wrenched it out of his opponent's struck once more, this time driving his blade him into the right side of Heather's chest. Once he wrenched it out, a lightning fast strike came to him and Ragnell sent the Wolfon flying.

Down on one knee, Heather snarled, taking hold of her sword in both hands and charged. But when she attempted to counter attack, something stopped her. Her sword flicked towards him, but stopped a few inches from his chest.

"What?" Heather looked surprised.

_"Skills…"_ Ike muttered. _"Adept… and Cancel…"_Cam could just imagine his eyes widening. _"I thought that only we were able to learn those!"_

Cam had heard of the skills before. They were famous in Tellian legends. It was said that these skills were powerful abilities that could make a fighter all the more deadly. There were abilities such as Astra, which allowed five lightning fast and consecutive strikes and abilities such as Resolve, which increased a fighter's aim tenth fold when they were in trouble.

Cancel and Adept were two such skills. Cancel was a skill that rarely activated in the slower fighters, but was still quite deadly. After a successful strike, the fighter would release a magical aura that would prevent an opponent's counterattack. This did not happen often, but when it did, the fighter would always use this to their advantage and either land another blow or run away. Adept, on the other hand, gave the fighter an extra lightning fast strike, allowing them to land up to three consecutive blows.

Cam took this opportunity to strike yet again. Ragnell slammed into Heather, winding her and causing her to stagger back. Then, Adept came to him once again, allowing him two more good hits. But Heather was ready this time. She deflected the first hit off her sword and interrupted its momentum, allowing it to graze her shoulder while effectively greatly reducing the damage it would've done to her. Again, her sword flicked up to counterattack, but again, Cancel kicked in and Cam was immediately surrounded by the magical aura.

"Say Heather...how are you going to beat me if you can't even touch me?" Cam mocked, slamming Ragnell into her yet again.

But Heather merely smirked. A red flash flared up behind her eyes as her hands glowed red. She then grabbed Cam's arm and concentrated, releasing psychic energy into him. Pain surged through his veins, causing him to cry out. His knees turned to jelly and he collapsed, almost losing his grip on Ragnell and Sigmund in the process. Heather's smirk faded to a cold look as she stepped closer to Cam and placed her metal leg on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

_"Get up! This is the most unfavorable position you could possibly be in!"_ Ike shouted. _"Cam, one hit and you're finished! GET OUTTA THIS!"_

Cam struggled to get up, but it was no use. The more he struggled, the more weight Heather put in that single foot. He glared up at her, teeth bared, blood boiling.

"T-Traitor…" Cam gasped, "D-Damn… you…"

Heather did not answer, choosing instead to press her metal leg harder against him. Her face remained cold and indifferent. But it was during this moment that Cam couldn't help but notice that her orange eyes were brighter than usual. In fact, they were practically glowing. Just looking at them seemed to heighten his vision. The longer he looked at them, the more he noticed that they looked _unusually_ moist…

"What's wrong, Wolfon? A little bit emotional aren't we? Come on, do it! TAKE ME DOWN, BITCH!" Cam roared in severe anger.

That was when her fist came. Her right one, metal gleaming in the dim light. She struck him across the face quite hard, but not so hard that he was knocked out. As she struck him, he couldn't help but notice her neck as he braced himself for the blow. Behind all the scars that covered her skin, Cam couldn't help but notice a strange pattern.

A strange, all too familiar pattern….

_"It can't be…"_ Ike whispered._"It's the mark! The mark of the Blood Pact! But… but I thought such magic had faded long ago…"_

"H-How…" Cam looked up at his opponent. "I…"

Heather only gave him a hard look in the , that seemed to tell him everything. An understanding passed between them, causing Cam's anger to disappear.

"Heather, end it now!" Tabuu ordered from the sidelines. "He is weak and vulnerable! KILL HIM!"

Keeping her face expressionless, Heather's sword flicked upward and descended with amazing speed. It was heading right for Cam's heart. The Guardian of Ike closed his eyes and braced himself, trying to summon up the image of _her_ face one last time…

_"NO!"_

The moment the dark blade pierced his skin, Cam's nerves were set on fire. It was as if Heather was slowly ripping his nerves apart one by one. Blood flowed freely from this wound, burning every single muscle in Cam's body like acid. He let out an unearthly cry, unable to hold it back. In his mind, he could hear Ike screaming as well.

And then suddenly, the pain was gone…

It was as if a vacuum had come and sucked it all up. Compared to the intense burning he felt before, this was paradise. But it was strange. The pain he had felt wasn't concentrated anywhere around his chest like he expected it to be. It had been concentrated on his left shoulder, a mere inch above his heart…

He suddenly became aware of the fact that he was breathing. A warm wetness flowed all over his left shoulder. He was breathing, his nerves were working, and he was all around _alive_.

_"Miracle,"_ Ike said, answering his unasked question. _"A very rare and unique skill. Basically kid, you're one walking anti-death machine."_

Heather had wrenched the blade out of his left shoulder. Taking advantage of her temporary unbalance in weight, he threw her off and rolled to the side, shakily getting to his feet. Before Heather was up on her own feet, he had already managed to grab Sigmund and Ragnell. He glared at his opponent, assessing her silently.

Both of them were sporting horrible injuries. It was surprising that neither of them had fallen yet. It surprised him even more to know that he was still alive after all that had transpired. The fight might've felt like an eternity, but the light in the skies had never changed. It had probably been about half an hour at most since he had chosen to land the first blow.

Heather charged at him, her sword whirling. Despite the considerable fear he felt, Cam held his ground. The closer he got to her, the more likely he would be able to land a hit. He planted his feet and set his jaw, preparing to dodge or block if necessary.

Then, something awoke within him. He felt it deep within his gut. He felt the raging anger of a great beast about to attack, rearing its noble head and roaring with all its might. But at the same time, he felt the serene grace of a bird in flight, smooth and untroubled. This clashing of emotions, so balanced that neither could ever overtake the other, meant only one thing.

The presence of an Eternal.

Ashunera.

Goddess of Dawn.

_"Looks like she's sending you her blessings,"_ Ike said. _"Release everything you've got. Everything we've been fighting for all this time comes down to this last blow."_

Cam hesitated. "Are you sure that I can do this?"

Ike laughed. _"You're my Guardian. I'm pretty sure Fate wouldn't stick me in your head if it didn't think you could."_

Electricity crackled all around him. Flames roared in his veins. Ragnell and Sigmund glowed with an unearthly light, the kind of beauty and terror seen only at the peak of dawn. With a shout loud enough to shake the heavens, he raised both the Blessed Blade and the Cursed Sword to the skies, as if calling down the spirit of the Goddess of Dawn herself.

A blue flame descended from the heavens and encircled the swords, feeding them with divine energy. Carefully harnessing this energy, Cam closed his eyes and listened hard for the voice of his goddess. Instead of a voice, he felt a gentle push, a push that told him that it was time to end it.

He planted his foot and faced Heather, a smirk appearing on his face. Slamming Ragnell into Heather as she approached, Cam flung her into the air and flipped up after her, slamming her with Sigmund. A final strike with Ragnell sent her hurtling to the ground, kicking up dirt and dust as she went. He finally landed not far away from her, splattered with blood. He leaned on Ragnell, panting.

Heather coughed up blood as she lay there, blood dripping down her face and her cape completely torn up. The hand that clutched her sword quivered with exhaustion as she smiled, gritting her teeth. Cam, having recovered some of his energy through the use of Aether, was obviously in much better condition than she was.

"Well done…" Heather commended, starting to push herself up. "Aether…the occult skill of the Vanguard class…" she pushed herself up completely and leaned on her sword. She then looked up at him, her wide grin still plastered on her face.

"You've come quite far, kid…"

At the last words, her voice sounded devious, her grin turning wider than before. It was too wide, too wild to truly belong to the Heather Wolfon he knew. It was here that he noticed that Heather's eyes- usually magma orange- were turning to a deep red. Nevertheless, he held his ground and watched as she pushed herself up on one knee, still leaning on her sword and shaking.

_"Give her the option to yield,"_ Ike said. _"We don't want any more blood to be spilt."_

Cam held out his hand to her. "I give you the option to yield, Heather Wolfon."

For a moment, hesitation flashed behind the Wolfon's eyes, which had reverted to orange. It seemed to him that she was just about ready to give in. Neither of them wished to keep fighting this war. If Heather surrendered, Tabuu would lose the Trial by Combat and the Guardians would be victorious. They would finally achieve what they had been fighting for.

Hesitantly, Heather extended a hand…

"HEATHER ELEKTRA WOLFON!" Tabuu's cold voice pierced the silence. "By my order, I command you to finish him! Finish him in the name of the Subspace Army! End this now!"

Heather closed her eyes and it was only seconds that Cam could see the guilt…

"But I'm afraid it's not enough."

Standing up with renewed energy, Heather cast her sword aside and pulled out a light tome that Ike was all too familiar with seeing…

_"Rexaura…"_

Underneath Heather, a magic circle appeared and then a flash of red happened. Ike sharply gasped in terror.

"_Corona…mastery skill of the Arch Sages of light…negating all resistance and halving the enemy's accuracy…"_

She raised her arm and created a triangle in the air, her eyes never wavering from her target. As she pointed to her opponent, magical light energy from above converged on him and exploded, taking full advantage of what little magical resistance he had.

The last thing he saw was a huge flash of green. Choking on dirt, Cam attempted to speak. But something stopped him. Shadows loomed over him, whispering gibberish that he could just barely understand.

They said that everything was going to be alright…

But it wouldn't be.

He had lost the Battle of the Champions.

Nothing mattered now.

Smashville was doomed.

* * *

What was he thinking?

What in the name of all that was holy was he _thinking_?

He could still hear Cimar and Zelda chiding him, even though he was already halfway across the battlefield. Trying to close his ears to them, Rinku gritted his teeth and gripped his sword all the more tighter, his gaze intent upon one person.

Heather.

"YOU STAY RIGHT THERE, YOU BITCH!"

Rinku charged and kicked off the ground, leaping high into the air. Flashing silver, the Gamersword descended towards his foe's throat. Injured though she was, Heather's reaction remained sharp. Rinku felt her foot connect to his stomach before he could even slice through her skin.

Rinku was thrown away, temporarily stunned by the force of the blow. He managed to stop his momentum just in time to keep him from falling. He found that he was right in front of Cam, who was being tended to by the healers.

Already he could feel the stares- both of the enemy and his friends- boring into him. For a moment, he wondered why they were staring so intensely. After all, the fact that he- wielder of the Triforce of Courage- was bravely (or mindlessly) rushing in to help a fellow Guardian shouldn't have been _that_ surprising, right?

Then it hit him. He had broken the rules. The ancient laws of Trial by Combat. By stepping in for Cameron as he was about to fall, he had just basically handed Smashville to Tabuu on a silver platter. The more he looked at the hated creature, the clearer he saw the sneer that was playing all over the Subspace Lord's otherwise unfathomable face.

He had two choices. He could fight or he could run. If he fought, he might just be able to hold off Heather long enough for some of the Guardians to escape. But that would be at the cost of his own life. If he ran, others might jump in save his neck. After all, it was imperative that he survived long enough to visit Hyrule once again. The Sacred Realm still needed someone to guide it, right?

Rinku's sensitive Hylian ears twitched slightly as he picked up sounds from the sidelines. They were protests, mostly. A couple mumbled about his foolishness. Some whispered of his courage. Others asked what would happen next. But the voice he was searching for the most, the one who had guided him for what seemed like years, was silent.

He looked at Heather, watching as her gaze darted between him, Cam, and a man on the sidelines that bore quite a resemblance to her. Although her gaze remained cold as ever, there was just the slightest hesitation in her movements, as if she was unsure of what to do. Rinku himself felt a strange pang within him as he realized that at this moment, everything now rested on _his_ shoulders.

Rinku charged yet again, his sword humming as he swung it in a deadly arc towards Heather's chest. The Wolfon leaped aside, putting away her tome as she did so. By the time Rinku was charging at her again, Heather had unsheathed her jet black blade.

_CLANG!_

He found himself in an all too familiar position, locking blades with his foe. Both he and his Smasher had been in this position before and both knew how to conquer it. It was a simple, yet effective method known only as "Chance".

He took a step forward, plunging all of his weight into the blade. With the sudden shift in weight, Heather was forced to shift her balance, giving Rinku just the right opening. Flicking his sword upwards, he quickly removed it from the lock and slashed her not once, but five times. Astra, one of the many Secret Sword techniques, had kicked in.

As soon as the fifth slash had run its course, Heather was back in the game yet again, her sword creating indents on the ground every time she missed her opponent. Rinku, who was built for speed and evasion, easily swayed to the side as she attempted to hit him, but sooner or later, she would resort to some other tactic…

And it would all be over for him.

On and on they continued in this frightful dance of death. Heather's sword wove and struck with the fluidity of the snake, only to be cruelly evaded. Rinku, meanwhile, twisted and flipped his way past her strokes, carefully timing his own so he could hit her at just the right times. Of course, Cam had once told him he was built much like a Trueblade; wonderful speed and skill, but strength and defense that was sub-par at best. No matter what happened, he could never allow Heather to land a blow on him and she was just barely grazed by his own.

His one hope lay in his own Mastery Skill, which people normally mistook to be , as it was called, doubled his strength when activated. Unlike most skills, this one could be activated after a certain amount of time had passed. If his calculations were correct, Rinku knew that such a time was nigh.

A blue aura covered his hands, engulfing the hilt of his sword. He watched as his opponent's sword hesitated for a moment before resuming its deadly course, intent on landing a fatal blow before anything else could happen. But it was already too late. Using his weapon to block a jarring blow, Rinku looked at Heather right in the eye and spoke one word.

"Charge."

A burst of energy ripped through his veins, the blue aura around his hands flared until it had completely engulfed the blade of his sword. He twisted his wrist and caught Heather's blade in a deadly lock, wrenching it away from him and attacking with surprising speed while she was still vulnerable. Again, the five lightning quick strikes came as he slowly chiseled away at his foe's health, praying to the three goddesses that somehow, he would be able to pull through.

Then it happened.

Heather's magma orange eyes flashed deep red, a snarl appearing on her once emotionless face. For a moment, her facial features seemed to melt and distort, giving rise to all too familiar, horrid shapes.

Caught off guard, nothing was able to prepare Rinku for the shattering counterattack Black Heather delivered to the right side of his jaw as he finished the fifth strike…

Rinku staggered back, narrowly avoiding yet another blow as he gazed upon Black Heather in both fear and disbelief.A trickle of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth. His sword shook as he faced the dreaded second form of his foe. Black Heather grinned maniacally as she stood straight, ignoring the pain of all the many injuries he had left painted with blood. She licked her lips as she leered at him, as if deciding which part of him she should dine on first.

"Well, Rinku…" Black Heather grinned. "I must thank you for deciding to step forward as my prey to hunt for dinner tonight."

With that said, Black Heather pounced on him, her eyes flashing maniacally. Rinku's armor was soon bathed red with his own blood as she landed blow after blow on him. Her timing and speed were incredible! Her strength was even deadlier than Heather's!

It was as if they were two separate people…

"Heather! Goddess dammit, Heather! What the hell is wrong with you?" Rinku shouted, ducking as her sword swung overhead. For a moment, he could've sworn that he saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. It seemed to come from a man standing on the sidelines, right next to Tabuu.

He sure looked a lot like her…

Rinku was now forced to switch into the defensive, desperately blocking and evading his opponent's blows. Although Black Heather was quite slow, her reflexes were lightning quick. While most of the time she was unable to catch up with Rinku's speedy dodging long enough to land a blow, her blocks were timed to absolute perfection.

His one hope lay in those behind him. Maybe, just maybe, someone would think of something. Maybe, just maybe, someone would come in and help him.

But for now, all he could do was try his best to stay alive.

What in the name of the Three Goddesses was he _thinking?  
_

* * *

Two things happened at once.

If only she had been quick enough, she probably could have prevented these from happening. But Zelda, former Princess of Hyrule, had allowed her guard to drop. She had, in fact, been much too involved with watching Link's Guardian fight for his life, being so involved that she paid no heed to her Guardian and her Hero until it was much too late.

It all begun with a single sheet of paper. It flickered out of the shadows of a man's cloak for only a second, but it was quite clear that whatever that was had some kind of huge impact on the Wolfon. The moment her eyes shifted to it, her attack on Rinku became even more merciless than before. Zelda was much too far away to make out whatever the sheet said.

But that didn't mean that it escaped the notice of her Guardian.

"NO!" Cimar gasped, eyes widening as the sheet disappeared. "That…that monster!" in one fluid motion, he drew his sword. "I'll KILL HIM!"

"Cimar?" Zelda asked, shocked at his sudden outburst. "Wha- CIMAR, NO!"

Her guardian had just charged at the man, moving so fast it was no wonder that he was little more than a blur. It wasn't long before that blur of green and silver was joined by another, this one characterized by something red flying behind him. The shouts and protests of the healers filled Zelda's ears as she watched Cam and Cimar both charge at the same target, unable to do a thing to stop them.

"CAM, NO!"

"YOU IDIOT! GET BACK HERE!"

"YOU'LL TEAR OPEN THAT WOUND AGAIN, FOOL!"

"They've both lost their minds…" Zelda murmured, placing a gloved hand over her mouth. "Link, you- LINK!"

Without her notice, the Chosen Hero had charged, managing to slide in front of Rinku in time to catch a blow on his shield. A large dent appeared where Black Heather's great sword had whacked it, obviously jarring Link's arm. But that caught Black Heather off guard long enough for Rinku to perform a powerful Spin Attack on his foe.

Her Hero was a doughty warrior. But still, the princess worried. She looked between the two teams, trembling as she saw that the battles they fought were indeed in the Guardians' favor. Two against one were fantastic odds, but the enemy was truly something to be reckoned with. In fact, the man who held the paper was an even match for the likes of Cimar and Cam. He had procured a long sword from out of nowhere and was currently dodging Cimar's blows whilst keeping Cam at bay with blows of his own.

All the while, the other Guardians were ready to surge forth, to throw away all thought of the original method- the Trial by Combat- in favor of an all out battle. But as strong as they had grown to become, Master Hand was stronger still. From out of his palm grew a barrier, powerful enough to prevent the Guardians from crossing through it. From the way he sagged afterwards, Zelda could tell that creating such a thing greatly weakened him. If it all truly came down to all-out war, it was highly likely that he would not be participating.

Tabuu, she noticed, had simply stood there all this time. There was an expression on his glowing blue face that she could not quite read, the closest emotion she could think of linking it to was amusement. There was just something on that sick, twisted face that sent Zelda's blood boiling. Was it the fact that he hadn't even bothered to attempt stopping the fights? Was it the fact that he seemed to glow all the more brighter every time another drop of blood was spilt? Or was it something else?

A darker, deeper reason that only the blackest folds of Subspace could ever hold?

The shouts of the Guardians, the unearthly cries of the Primids, and the resounding _clang_ of the swords as they met swirled all around her. Rinku and Link were both teaming up on Heather and keeping her at bay well-enough, so Zelda turned her attention to the fight between Cam and her Guardian against their foe. Blades whirled like there was no tomorrow and there was many a time when Ragnell, flashing gold, would come clashing down to the ground to send a shock wave straight at their foe.

"Who is that man?" asked Beeh, who was standing behind Zelda. "And why are Cam and Cimar attacking him like that?"

"That man… his name is Clark Wolfon," Mah answered, glaring at the barrier that currently encased the rest of the Guardian army. "He… he used to come to the slave room and whip us like there was no tomorrow. He always threatened us with death… which would have been salvation compared with what the slaves went through…" she shook her head. "I don't know what he has done to Hyrule or to Tellius… but those two are attacking him for a reason…"

"What do you know about him?" Zelda asked sharply. "Surely there is more to him than just some bit of sadism."

Mah looked her in the eye. "Princess… I don't know much about him beyond the sadism. But I can say this: he is a liar and a swindler. Like Tabuu, he does not play by the rules. If he wants something, he'll get it through any means available to him…" her voice took on a hate-filled edge. "Even if it means destroying everything that's left to us down at the bottom…"

Zelda turned once again to Cimar and Cam's battle, her lips trembling as she watched Cimar nimbly duck under Clark's swing. His retaliation blow was immediately followed up by two more powerful swings from his partner. But Clark managed to dodge them all, sneering as he did so. Although she was no longer part of Cimar, the princess was still able to feel the wind whistling past her Guardian as he ducked each swing, the pain he felt in his chest as his strength began to waver.

Surely some piece of her must have remained within him. Surely it was impossible for her to sense as Cimar, in a last desperate attempt, raised his eyes to the heavens where the three enemy Arwings floated tauntingly above. She had the impression that her Guardian was mentally calling out to either Falco or Wolf, as if begging them for help.

But before she could even think to comprehend any of this, It happened.

A gray blur burst from one of the Arwings, streaking down straight towards Clark. Like an arrow it pierced him, spraying a fountain of red in every direction thinkable. Cam and Cimar both only had seconds to wrench a scroll of paper free from Clark's grip before deadly claws raked into the enemy flesh, mangling Clark's neck beyond recognition.

Cam held the paper. Zelda watched as he ripped it to shreds, relief sweeping through her as the Guardians on all sides of her roared their approval, although she was sure that most did not truly understand what had just happened. But whatever had happened, a victory had been scored for them. In the most simplistic way, they had gained a victory. And one victory could quite well lead to another, even greater triumph.

All too soon, the roar stopped, replaced by a scream of horror. As Wolf was pinned down by the bodies of Bowser and King Dedede,Zelda whirled towards Rinku and Link's battle just in time to see Black Heather send a Psyforce to Rinku, blasting him off his feet. He was tossed away like a rag-doll, slamming into Cimar and Cam as they tried to help. All three young men were sent sprawling back.

Meanwhile, Link had used the moment Black Heather struck against Rinku to deal a few blows of his own, the Master Sword weaving familiar patterns such as the Helm Splitter and the Great Spin through the air. As he did this, Zelda found herself reaching for her Bow of Light. She watched as her love's sword glowed before he kicked off the ground and leaped into the air. She nocked and arrow as he brought his sword down towards his enemy's head, the latter's sword arm much too far away to block in time.

But something most unexpected happened as the Jump Strike made its descent. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. A red aura surrounded Blackther, licking her heels like flames. Her sword came up with impossible speed, so fast that it was nearly invisible…

The next thing anyone knew, Link had fallen, a wide red gash opening up upon his abdomen and bleeding horribly…

Black Heather cackled her triumph as she raised her sword to strike yet again, her eyes glowing with sadistic light..

"The Resolve skill…" she her Nask whisper behind her. "But Heather didn't have that before… could it be that she and Black Heather are _two different people_?"

That was all that Zelda needed.

She raised her bow and aimed a Light Arrow directly at the young woman's blackened heart. Like a viper, it struck home, opening a hole so wide it was a wonder that the young woman's head did not fall off then and there…

A horrific scream of pain filled the ears of all in her presence. Black Heather slowly fell backwards in the air.

She landed with a thud.

The Guardians could only stare with widened eyes as Black Heather disappeared in facial features, being replaced with Heather.

Slowly, her body began to dissolve into the air from the effects of piercing light…

Link struggled to his knees, grasping his mangled middle. Much to Zelda's surprise his blue eyes- trained on Heather- were moist.

Zelda felt a lump in her throat. When she spoke, her voice shook with tears.

"I don't understand… I…I thought-"

"That you killed Black Heather?" Heather laughed humorously. "Light can't exist without darkness…you of all people should know that, Zelda Hyrule…"

Zelda found herself dead-panned with the words she'd spoken to Midna before she left for the mirror…

"I…I didn't mean…I-"

"Don't apologise," Heather smiled, her eyes half-closed. "You…were only protecting the man you loved from certain death."

Turning her head to Wolf, who was held back by King Dedede and Bowser, her eyes flashed warm as her smile turned sad.

"If it were me…I would've done the same…"

And she dissolved into thin air, never to be seen or to be heard again.

At long last, the Scion of Rage had been put to rest…

…and so had Heather Wolfon.

For a few moments, no sound was made but for Wolf's shallowed stared at the spot where she dissolved, his mouth quivering as tears formed in his eyes…

Zelda too, felt the sting of her own tears as she realized that it was she and no one else that was responsible for her death…

Then, the spell was broken yet again by a foreign noise. This time, it was the slow, calm, rhythmic sound of clapping. All eyes turned to Tabuu, who seemed to glow brighter at the attention. It was all too obvious that he would have been sneering, had he possessed a discernable mouth.

"Well, well, well, Guardians," he mused. "I must admit, you have done _quite_ a good job. After all, you took down one of your own. And not _just_ one of your own… one of the most powerful of your number." a deadly edge crept into his voice. "Most intriguing…"

"Even so, Tabuu," Master Hand said quietly. "Your Champion has fallen. You must abide by our agreement and take your leave of Smashville. I shall give you one hour's time to prepare for-"

"Foolish hand!" Tabuu cackled, a laugh cold enough to cause Zelda's blood to freeze in its veins. "Do you _really_ think that after _you_ broke the rules, _I_ would merely walk out of here?"

"What are you saying, you mad man?" Master Hand demanded, curling into a fist. "By the rules of Trial by Combat, your champion has lost and you therefore forfeit all hold over Smashville, as abiding with the terms of-"

Tabuu laughed again. "Master Hand, you are truly a fool. By allowing Rinku to fight Heather in place of young Cam, you have forfeited the match! Though my Champion has fallen, _you_ have broken the rules! As such, _you_ must release all hold upon Smashville and it is _you_ that must abide by the terms of our agreement!"

"Spineless worm!" Master Hand spat. "You know quite well that there are _seconds_ allowed in Trial by Combat! Rinku, acting as Cam's second, stepped in when he-"

"Ah, but it seems that I was not informed of such seconds was I, you old fool?" Tabuu sneered.

"Enough, Tabuu! You are to take your leave of Smashville immediately!"

"I'm not going anywhere, Master Hand. Not while I fairly hold the winning end of the deal," Tabuu hissed. "But since it seems that you refuse to honor your so-called 'fair terms'…" he unfurled his shining wings, still battered and broken from the time Sonic had damaged them so long ago. "It seems that I will have to resort to my original plan… destroying you and your stupid Guardians… BY FORCE!"

A single beat of his wings sent an off-wave right at the barrier, so powerful that it shook the ground as it travelled towards it. Zelda watched as Master Hand released some more of his great power in an attempt to hold it up, but he was jarred the moment the powerful wave smashed into it. Cracks ran down the golden shield, revealing just how fragile it truly was. Another off-wave shattered the barrier completely, freeing the Guardians, but now allowing the Subspace Army to enter their side of the field.

And that was when all hell broke loose.


	28. Blue Eyes

Blue Eyes

**(flashback)**

_There were clouds above him. There were clouds below him. There were clouds that stretched to every corner of the world. Everywhere the eye could see there were beautiful, glorious white clouds._

_It was here that golden eyes met blue._

_"My Lady…"_

_"I have waited a long time to speak with you again, my dear little meat-bag."_

_She said it playfully, almost jokingly. But it was quite hard for him to laugh along with her. She was too divine, too out of this world. _

_"Why am I here?"_

_"I believe the real question is why would you not be?" the goddess answered. "I had been hoping to speak to you for the longest time."_

_It was a small benefit here in his incorporeal state that he did not need sleep to sustain him. The energy flow through his Guardian's mind was sufficient enough. He faced his goddess, who was regarding him with an air of amusement._

_Blue eyes frowned in doubt._

_"I brought you here to come to terms with the events that transpired because of your defeat."_

_"Is that truly necessary?" _

_Did she think him weak?_

_"I do not know. Is it?" her smile was enough to get his blood boiling. Why did he have to worship such an unorthodox goddess?_

_"… I do not know…" he hesitated, then added, "My Lady… my Guardian shall awaken soon. Surely I must go attend to my duties as a-"_

_"Your duties," the goddess sighed, "Your duties… they were your excuse for so long, Marasu-san…"_

_"Don't call me that," never before had he been so bold before his lady. "And my duties are not an excuse, but a reason."_

_"A reason, then, for the fact that the last words you said to your sister were 'Tonight I ride'? Reason for the fact that the last words to your love were 'Fetch my sword'?"_

_Blue eyes narrowed in anger._

_"Tell me, then, how I was supposed to speak!" he snapped. "Tell me, then, how I should have properly said goodbye, not knowing that I would soon meet defeat at the hands of a monster! Tell me, then, how much of a weakling I was for being unable to fight?"_

_"You are not a weakling…" the childish side of his goddess was coming out. Already he could hear the tears in her voice. "Marasu-san, if your Guardian has shown you anything, it's that you are no weakling…"_

_"Then what am I?"_

_"… You are a Smasher…" his goddess whispered. "You are a Lord, a Smasher, a lover, and a brother. You have braved many dangers in the name of your world and you have fought many enemies nobler and more deserving of your blade than Tabuu."_

_"… Why then…" he whispered. "Why, then, was it he that at last defeated me?"_

_"Fate has played many pranks before, dear Meatbag," his goddess replied. "The giving of the Triforce of Power to Ganondorf… the rebirth of the demon Formaltiis…" her golden eyes flashed. "The fall of the once greatest fighters in the known worlds."_

_"Once?" he repeated, unable to believe his ears. "Once, My Lady?"_

_"Your fall has facilitated something, Little Meatbag," the goddess said quietly. "While your bodies may rot within the halls of Tabuu's keep, your souls and abilities remain intact within your Guardians. Essentially, Marasu-san, your Guardians have since evolved. In many ways, they are now your heirs as well as your protectors, your partners, and in some cases, the last thing you possess in this world."_

_His hands curled into fists. "My Goddess, why are you here?"_

_"To help you come to terms with the inevitable farewell. After the day when you are freed of your bonds, never again shall you lay eyes upon your Guardian."_

_"NO! I WON'T ALLOW IT!" he had lost too much in his forcefully extended lifespan, felt too much pain. He couldn't stand the thought of losing yet another important person in his life. "I CAN'T ALLOW IT!"_

_"Marasu-san, fate has dictated-"_

_"TO HELL WITH FATE!" he snapped. Never before had he lost his composure in such a way. This was the Hundred Years' Rage, bottled up within him from the moment Tabuu locked him away. "FATE CAN BE THWARTED! FATE CAN'T DICTATE HOW I SHOULD LIVE AND DIE!"_

_His goddess was on the verge of tears. "M-Ma-"_

_"BEGONE!" he ordered. Never before had he blasphemed his goddess in such a way. "I TURN MY BACK ON YOU THIS DAY! BEGONE AND NEVER RETURN!"_

_All at once, her warm presence left him. Once again, he was standing in a deep void, an echo of his Guardian's sleeping thoughts. He stood there, trembling, eyes forever roaming. For a moment, he could've sworn that his lady was returning to him. _

_Guilt washed over him in waves. He had allowed his anger- all bottled up for a century- to get ahead of him. Because of his sharp tongue, he had reduced his goddess to tears._

_Blue eyes turned to the ground and wept._

** (end flashback)**

* * *

History was repeating itself. He knew it from the moment the first Primid fell upon his Guardian. He knew it from the moment his Guardian's weapon, radiating a raw, terrible power, sliced the foolish foe in half.

He knew it from the moment his Guardian, Naskara, crossed blades with his own body.

_He couldn't see. _

_He couldn't move._

"NO!"

"HEATHER!"

"WOLF!"

_Blood in his mouth._

_Blood in his eyes._

_Blood on his cape._

"ZELDA!"

"LINK!"

"RINKU!"

"CIMAR!"

_Everywhere._

_Blood._

"WATCH OUT!"

"AHH!"

She could only watch as the boy, her little brother, was torn from her protective grasp, locked in mortal combat with what seemed like a hundred foes. It reminded him all too vivdly of Elice as she too was torn asunder from him. She moved to assist him, but the blade came out of nowhere, heading straight for her chest. Her armor saved her, but still, she bled.

_With his approach came an aura of fear, decay, and dread. He shuffled like a tramp, yet treaded like a king. His slinky gait was one of a being both noble and cunning, a cruel reminder that no matter how much hate could ever radiate off him, no matter how much hatred that he felt for this wretched foe, it mattered not._

_At the end of the day, he was still in many ways, a man._

His body was fast, too fast. His Guardian could just barely keep up with it. If it weren't for the fact that her weapon was as long as it was, it would have been utterly impossible for her to defend herself against his lightning fast strokes. Nask fought with the speed and valor of a tiger, but her efforts were for naught. In the end, it all came down to the fact that he was once one of the greatest fighters in the known worlds. And despite her power and how much she had grown since the day they met, she was still only a shadow of what he once was.

_"How far the mighty Smasher has fallen,"_ _the wretched creature hissed, "How weak the strong have become."_

_"Ngh.."_

Marth watched as his body pushed off the balls of his feet, leaping into the air for a powerful jump strike. She leaped out of the way just in time, striking him with her favored weapon while he was vulnerable. She gritted her teeth and channeled as much energy as she could into the powerful weapon. He felt the fleeting sensation of a cold, frosty morning.

Ice burst forth from the tip.

_"Look how weak you are, pathetic Smasher," he whispered. "How utterly vulnerable. Do you not know what I can do to you in this state? I can **torture** you, Little Prince. I can gouge your eyes out, slowly skin you alive, shove a sword down your throat…" his voice filled with satisfaction as he said this, as if he was relishing each word on his tongue. "I can so easily make you watch as I **kill** each and every one of the people you love right before your eyes…"_

_He lifted his face, glaring at this hated man through blood-stained bangs. He opened his mouth to speak, but the only thing that came out was a faint gurgling. He watched as the chain before him began to sway. _

_Tantalizing._

_ Hypnotic._

The jet black blade cleaved through the ice like it was nothing. Now freed, his body followed up with a great many lightning-fast strikes at its foe. His Guardian barely had enough time to counter these attacks before a Primid tackled her from behind. Dust filled her mouth, dirt stung her eyes.

But nothing hurt more than the accursed blade ripping through her flesh.

_Sway…_

Now it was his turn to take the reins. As his Guardian let out a single piercing howl, Marth pushed through the fog of unconsciousness that slowly seeped into her mind and was reborn anew. The searing pain in her shoulder, once a whisper to him, now pierced him like a red hot iron. Gritting his teeth, he managed to wrench himself free of the biting tip and strike, trying his best to ignore the pain blossoming from the wound.

_Sway…_

He felt himself floating again, giving way to the will of his Guardian as she once again took the reins of her own body and leaped to the side, slicing as many Primids as possible. Marth winced, knowing full well what would have happened had the Primids been able to pin his Guardian down. But their opponent still kept up with his relentless assault, obsidian blade weaving in and out of its allies, murderous intent shining in those horrid yellow eyes.

_Sway…_

As if in slow motion, his body caught up to them, stabbing and shoving Pit's body aside with much contempt. He could not help but be disgusted at this. Never before had the rules of chivalry been so disregarded.

But then again, this was Tabuu they were talking about.

_"You are wondering how in the world I have become so much more powerful," the Hated One mused. "How when you Smashers defeated me- just barely, mind you- last time, you see now that it is utterly impossible to defeat me this time. Would you like to know how I came about this power, O Lord of the Emblem?"_

_Sway…_

"I have no choice! I can't keep running! Your body will catch up to us eventually!"

_"I know… but surely there must be some other way,"_ he groaned. _"You saw what happened to those three! I cannot allow you to end up like them as well!"_

"There's not going to be a better time to—"

_"WATCH OUT!"_

She whirled, her weapon coming up just in time to meet the blade of a sword. His body used this moment to kick off her chest, sending her sprawling to the ground whereas it simply landed on both feet a few feet off. Taking full advantage of the vulnerable position his Guardian was in, he charged, blade whirling, yellowed eyes flashing.

_"Any last words, O Prince of Altea?"_

_He struggled for breath. Struggled for words. Struggled for sound._

_"F-F-Fuck… you…"_

"HYAH!" Nask shouted, rolling out of the way and using the full range of her Naginata to slam it right into his body's crotch. Marth winced, knowing full well that a blow from there would hurt for a while. Not for the first time, he was thankful that he wasn't there in his body to feel it.

It turned out that his reflexes were still in top condition. Naturally, his body doubled over, clutching the sensitive area, face twisted in pain.

A fatal mistake.

_"Vulgar, Prince Marth," he sneered. "I didn't know you've ever had it in you. I must say, you are **quite** the little swine for saying it." he shook his head. "But it does not matter. My, my, O Emblem Lord. How will your precious little wife feel once her dear husband rips out her heart and stomps on it?"_

She swung her Naginata and drove it point blank to the ground, releasing a blast of ice like Marth had never seen before. The frozen water rushed towards his body in waves, too fast for the eye to comprehend. A frigid wind encircled the vulnerable Dark Smasher and it was not long until he was little more than a block of ice. For the first time, Marth was able to see what his face looked like when it was contorted in shock.

Nask landed on her feet, panting. Her chest armor was quite damp with her blood. For a moment, she regarded the icy prison, contemplating whether or not it was secure enough to hold Marth's body at bay.

_"Will there be any better opportunity to strike?"_ Marth asked in answer to her question. Nask grimaced slightly but complied, reaching into a hidden pocket of her armor.

_"In the name of my country… in the name of my goddess…" Marth summoned all the strength he had left into one final shout. "YOU SHALL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF THE NEXT DAWN!"_

_Ice cold laughter rang through the air. _

Just as her hand closed upon a small, pulsing sphere, the icy prison which held the Smasher began to quake as Marth's body raged against its frozen cage. Nask's fingernails dug into her Smashball with renewed vigor, her teeth gritting as the Prince's body freed itself. Shards of ice cut her cheeks, but it did not matter now. Energy, powerful and raw, flowed through her veins.

It was time.

_ "Unleash the Final Embrace!" _Marth ordered. It had been a long time since he had last been able to shout orders on the battlefield.

Nask leaped into the air, whirling her powerful weapon as she let out an indecipherable cry. She came down on his body with full force, piercing his body right in his chest. Yellow eyes widened in horror as the weapon wrenched upwards, sending it into the air. She wrenched her blade out and struck it once, twice, thrice, each strike sending forth a great chill. Finally, when she was done reaping every blow she had, she gave the body one final hit, slamming it down with enough force to cause an earthquake. Light filled the area, blinding all within the radius of her Final Smash.

At long last, yellow gave way to blue.

* * *

**(flashback)**

_"Father! Father, are you here?" she called, trekking her way through the newly fallen snow. Once a thing of beauty to her, the snow had long since become nothing more than another instrument of torture. More pain came with the snow. More cold. More hunger. "Father! Father, where are you?"_

_She knew he could not be far from her._

_"I am here, my dear," a voice answered. It was so soft, so weak. "I am trying to sleep…"_

_He was trying to sleep. Was it possible at all for one to fall asleep here? Was it not dangerous to lower one's guard when death could strike at any time?_

_"I brought you food, Father," she reported as she ran to him. "Look here! A quarter ration of bread!"_

_She watched as the pile of flesh and bone- the skeleton, the corpse- rose up from its spot. For the briefest moment, its eyes- blue, like hers- contemplated the crust in her hand. Then those eyes- black, like a corpse's- rose to her face. Again, they contemplated._

_"My dear… there's something I must tell you…" his voice was a croak now. If there were any tears left to be had in him, surely they would be falling down. "So much to tell you… so much…"_

_"Father, you can tell me all you want to tell me later," she told him. She was practically begging him. "But right now, we have to mine the Essences. We don't want Lord Tabuu to be angry at us, right? We just have to fill our Essence Buckets and it's back in the warm factory! We can start making Smashballs again! Please, Father…"_

_"Tabuu…" tears rolled down her father's cheeks. "Tabuu, Tabuu… what a fool I was…"_

_"Father, don't say such things!" _

_"So much to tell you… Tabuu…" sobs wracked her father's body. "Your mother… the gas chambers… oh…"_

_"Father! Be strong!"_

_His skeletal hand shot out with surprising speed and latched onto the collar of her ragged shirt. His breath, stinking of corpses, felt ungodly hot across her face. "A deal… I… struck a deal… a deal with… with the Devil himself…"_

_He was delirious. It was all to evident to her ears. But the look in his eyes as he said this, the desperate, clinging way his breath blew across her face told her something else._

_He could only be telling the truth._

_She remained silent, watching numbly as he took a few gasping breaths. His breathing had long become ragged._

_"My services… my soul… for your life… your mother… to late to save… but you… you…" he coughed. "You…"_

_Why could she not cry?_

_"So many others dead… rebels… people who could… save us… dead… because… of me…" her father wheezed. "F-For… F-Forgive…"_

_His grip on her collar was quickly slackening. His flesh was ice cold to the touch. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not summon the tears to cry._

_"Water… S-Sakura… Sakura, my child… water… Sakura…"_

_Water. That would be the worst poison for him. The water here was retrieved from the earth, from the snow. It was always filled with disgusting bacteria, always flecked with blood. She knew that even if she helped him, he should not, could not drink._

_His death rattle filled her ears._

**_(end flashback)_**

* * *

There were many things that she still remembered, many things that had been unable to escape Fate's cruel hand. She remembered walking through the gardens of her castle, her love at her side, smiling as the warm Mushroom breeze touched her cheeks. She could still remember how the lust of the Koopa King had driven him mad, usually ending up in her monthly kidnapping and rescuing. She still remembered how, though he had rudely and brashly taken her away from the man whom she admired, she would always find a way to bring out her captor's softer side and for a little while, almost convert him to the side of good.

But she also remembered how scorned she was by so many people. She was well-loved by her subjects and beyond, true, but there were harsh things about her as well. She was a sweet woman, somehow always managing to find the good in others, when there seemed to be no good to be had. She had proven it time and time again when she had charmed the Koopa King's softer heart to the surface and when she had convinced a plucky little plumber that he was destined for much more than hopping through a few pipes. Yes, she was good and sweet and kind, but still the criticisms came.

Perhaps harshest among them all was how weak she had been, how although she was a princess who lived in a palace full of loyal Toads, she would still get kidnapped at least once a month. The criticisms did not bother her much at first, but the moment she learned that she was to appear in the Melee Tournament of Smashers, the disapproval spread like wildfire. How had she, weakest of all beings, managed to wriggle her way into a tournament featuring the greatest fighters in the known worlds? Had she bribed the Master Hand? Had she assassinated the more eligible fighters?

But that was over a hundred years ago. A hundred years ago, she was the weak child in a pink dress who could never take care of herself. A hundred years ago, endless questions about her fighting ability had been asked and endless answers had been avoided. But a hundred years later, she had a question of her own.

What would they say now?

_CLANG!_

Her frying pan whirled through the air, slamming right into the head of a nearby Primid. Peach felt a smile forming on her incorporeal face as Sakura then wheeled around and kicked a Primid in the stomach without a single pause. Yes, her Guardian was a strong one.

There was no time to mourn. No time to run to Wolf and pry him away from the corpse of one of the men who caused Heather's death. No time to run to Zelda, who was clutching the Hero's chest as his life's blood slowly drained away.

_"We're going to have to resort to something other than kicking and punching if we're ever going to find anyone in this mess,"_ Peach told her.

Sakura nodded. "I'm working on i— WHOA!" she ducked flying Shadow Bugs. "MS! Watch where you're killing!"

"You watch where you're fighting!" MS snapped back.

"Guys, just calm down, alright?" Green asked. He grabbed two Primids by the neck and whirled out a Luigi Tornado, flinging them away at lightning speed. "If we're trying to avoid Shadow Bugs here, it's going to be tough. These guys are crapping them out like there's no tomorrow!"

"Avoiding? I'm trying to kill 'em, darn it!" MS snapped. "Why won't these guys stop reforming?"

Peach's sharp blue eyes darted back and forth across the battlefield, searching for a weakness, a weapon, anything that could help them with the ever-growing mass of Primids that surrounded them. But no matter where she looked, there seemed to be nothing and no one that could lend their aid. Just about every Guardian was currently engaged in battle, even Master and Crazy Hand- whom were doing their best to help cleanse the field of the Subspace Army- could provide no aid.

"MS! DUCK!" Sakura chided as she nimbly dodged a cloud of Spaak electricity by rolling to the side. As soon as she landed on her feet, her frying pan was pulled out and sent flying. It sailed over MS' head and hit a Shaydas on the head.

_"Excellent, Sakura!" _Peach cried. _"You've become a great fighter."_

Sakura smiled to herself. "I've had a great teacher."

Such a comment greatly warmed Peach's heart. But such a warmth quickly faded as she noticed a turnip flying their way. The face upon the strange little vegetable was one of anger and hate.

Only one person in the world could ever pull turnips like that.

_"It's my body!"_

And lo and behold, there it was. Her body moved faster than she ever had in her long years as a Smasher, little more than a great pink blur that would make Sonic the Hedgehog green with envy. Not surprisingly, her body came surrounded by a corona of red and green flames, which soon gave way to a duo of all too familiar plumbers as they landed on the ground.

MS was just barely able to swing his katanas in time to slice the turnip in half. The two pieces, powerful even when divided, ricocheted off the Primids, Spaaks, and Shaydas behind them. But while the army was reasonably pushed out of the way, the approach of the three former Smashers did little to ease the tension in the air.

"Well shit," Green muttered next to Sakura. "It's either fight a thousand weak little Primids or try to fight off three pumped up Smashers."

"How about we take Option C?" MS asked.

Sakura gave him a questioning look. "And what would that be?"

"RUN LIKE CHILDREN!" MS shouted before preparing to bolt in the opposite direction. However, Mario's body jumping and landing on the ground changed his plans quite a lot. "… On second thought, just ATTACK LIKE MEN!"

And so they did. Green and MS charged without a second thought, taking their respective Smashers by surprise. But while Mario's body, finely tuned with pretty decent reflexes, was able to recover significantly from the impact of MS ramming his shoulder into it, Luigi's took the hit and literally went flying. Peach would have laughed, had it not been for the fact that her body's golf club was already on its way towards Sakura's head.

_"SAKURA!"_ the Princess cried. Her warning came just in time for Sakura to bring up an arm in order to take the blow. Her Guardian's limb was jarred severely, causing pain to bloom forth from the blackened bruise inflicted by her heavy club.

A flurry of green fire appeared from behind the princess, setting her pink dress aflame. As soon as Peach's body whirled to take on Green, Sakura was already on her way with a good shoulder ram.

_WHAM!_

Shoulder connected with stomach, sending the unfortunate Smasher flying. For a moment, a bubble of hope swelled up within Peach. They were _winning_!

And then something extremely heavy, dirty, and not to mention _on fire_ slammed itself right on top of Sakura's head.

"OW! OW!" Sakura tried batting at whatever was jumping on her, only for her fingers to be met with air. MS, using Mario's superior jumping power, had tackled the plumber's body in midair and was now locked in a wrestling match. At the same time, Green was nimbly dodging Peach's golf club, his eyes darting back and forth for a weak point.

Meanwhile, Luigi's body was nowhere to be found.

During all of this, Peach was seeing red. _"Tabuu, that monster! I'll never forgive him!" _if she had her body back at that moment, she would have been crying. _"Mario would never do that! He never jumps on a fellow human! NEVER!"_

Sakura, breathing heavily, rubbed the spot on her head. Thankfully, Mario's signature form of attack had not drawn blood. "Ugh… my head…"

Anger for Tabuu became concern for her Guardian. _"Sakura, maybe you should—"_

"No, Peach," Sakura said quickly. "I'll be fine… I'm just… ah…" she winced. "I've just got a headache, that's all."

Peach pursed her lips, struggling between a desire to take over for her Guardian and a wish to order her Guardian to pull out of the battle. _"I…"_

"Hey Sakura, you okay?" Green asked as he ducked a flying turnip. "That looked like it- OOMPH!"

Now it was Green's turn to be stomped on as Luigi's body, covered in mud, returned. Luigi's Guardian was sent to the ground in a flurry of green flames.

"Green!" Sakura cried. Without a second thought, she leaped into the air, pointing her bottom at the enraged green-clad plumber's body. She struck home, causing a large pink heart to pop out of nowhere and managing to push Luigi's body right off his target.

Green and Sakura stood back to back, facing their adversaries. MS, meanwhile, was quite close to them, eyeing Mario with unfailing ferocity. There they stood, the Smashers and the Guardians, glaring at each other with the animosity only bitter enemies would possess. For a moment, there was a lull in the battle around them. Time seemed to slow.

Then, they charged, the Mushroom Kingdom Smashers and the Guardians of their souls. In a flurry of color and sound, fire met with fire, tornado clashed with tornado, and the resonant _clang_ of golf club meeting golf club rang through the air.

It was then that fate, perhaps guided by the hand of revered Roselina herself, played a truly unforeseen prank upon the slaves of Tabuu. For in the middle of the ring of steel, the pounding of fists, and the Hellish heat of the flames, there were three resounding cracks.

Peach, through Sakura's eyes, saw Green engulfed in flames. But these flames were not green like his nor were they red, like MS'. No, these flames flashed a whole plethora of color, shifting from yellow, to green, to purple, to blue all in a matter of seconds. MS, meanwhile, was also engulfed in flames. But he seemed not to notice as he continually swiped his red katanas at Mario, only to miss as the powerful jumping power of the plumber saved him time and time again.

It soon dawned on her what had happened. _"The Smashballs! They must have shattered somehow!"_ she quickly turned her attention to Sakura, determination edging in her voice. _"This is our chance! We have to do it now!"_

Sakura's hand met Peach's cheek in an extremely hard slap. But as she got ready to unleash every bit of power the Smashball had gifted to her on the Princess, a rather strange sight stopped her. Both she and MS abandoned their attempts at subduing the bodies of their Smashers long enough to gawk wide-eyed at Green.

Green was doing an odd combination of the disco, the bunny hop, and the hula. Of course, while his dance was rather efficient when it came to causing their adversaries to apply palm to forehead through the sheer ridiculousness of it, it was what happened next that truly took the day. From out of one ear, a bubble of multi-colored energy bloomed forth: a representation of every single negative feeling that Green- and to some extent, possibly Luigi- had bottled up over the years.

The next thing anyone knew, the unfortunate Subspace denizens and Smashers unfortunate enough to be engulfed by this darkly colored dome were keeling over as flowers burst from their heads and other various side effects took place. If anyone knew the Negative Zone better than Luigi, it was Peach, who had always hidden her ill-will towards those who _dared_ call her weak. And she saw it now, her own body succumbing to the horrors of Green's own misery and hate, that she would never be called "weak" again.

She watched as Green, dark eyes shining with insanity in this world of twisted fantasies, sneered at his Smasher's body and charged. Peach knew at that moment that it would be a perfect hit. There was no way for the Super Jump Punch to fail now…

Then, it was Sakura's turn.

A rhythm filled the air as Sakura began pounding her feet into the dust. Peach couldn't help but notice that she seemed to be following the gentle pulse and flow of a waltz of some sort. But as the waltz continued, the tempo passed from Adante to a full out Allegro. No longer was this strange dance a waltz, but a tarantella, a fast-paced "dance of the spider".

And what a dance of the spider it was. Peach watched in wonder as small white circles appeared all around her body, each pulsing in time with the deadly tarantella of her young Guardian. But the true horror came when Sakura's dancing reached an impossible level of speed and accuracy. For each time her foot hit the ground, one of the little white circles would explode. As Sakura literally danced circles around her body, strange things began happening to the hundred year old spirit within her mind.

There were three…

She felt like she was floating. For the first time in a long time, she could taste the air again. It tasted sad, somehow. Like a lost soul, wishing to find its owner.

Two…

And her skin! It was tingling! She hadn't felt her own skin in so long… it felt alien to her. What was this feeling? It hurt, yes. It burned and seared right down to her very bone. But she embraced this pain. This glorious, glorious pain.

One…

Blue eyes gazed upon the skies at long last.

* * *

**(flashback)**

_There was a beauty in this place that he could not quite place his finger on. On one hand, the sunlight was comforting. It was a rare sight to see such a thing in this realm that had long ago lost the life it once held. On the other hand, there was a cold, harsh tone to the color of the horizon. The sun was beautiful, yes. But it was the one colored spot upon this world of blacks and grays and whites. As such, it stood out- not in the good way- and therefore seemed harsh to the still-living things whom had long evolved so as to be able to sustain themselves with minimal sunlight._

_It was this place that he called home._

_It was actually perfectly normal for him to come out here all alone to watch the sunrise. Despite the frostiness that this cold environment had drenched the sunrise in, it was still a beautiful thing. It would always help him forget, even if it was just for a few minutes, just how painful it was to simply be alive._

_To be or not to be? That was the question asked throughout the decades. Had he been asked that only a few years before, his answer would have been the same as it was now._

_Not to be._

_It was survivor's guilt. Heather had told him as much when they first met. Then again, of course, it made sense. What else would you feel after your entire planet was destroyed, leaving you as the sole survivor of your race with nothing more than the memories of the golden times and maybe a scrap or two to remind you of who you are?_

_Oh, speak of the Devil, here she comes now._

_"Good morning Teal," Heather said quietly as she approached. The young anthro-morph couldn't help but notice that there were dark circles under her eyes. _

_He merely inclined his head. "Heather…"_

_She sat down next to him, this woman in red and black, and allowed a small sigh to escape her mouth. Teal retracted his legs and hugged them as the two sat in silence for a rather long while. It was inevitable, then, that it would be broken by that very same woman._

_"How are you feeling, Teal?" she asked. "I noticed that you come out here often…"_

_Teal hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer. "I… yes, I suppose I do."_

_She seemed to nod off for a moment, before her great orange eyes snapped back to meet his light blue ones. "You still have that survivor's guilt, huh?"_

_For a moment, he was slightly taken aback. While it was true that she tended to be a rather forward and blunt person, it was still a bit shocking to have those words come from her lips, even after he had been training with her and their mentor for how many months._

_"I suppose…" he looked out to the sunrise, with its many splotches of red and gold, and sighed. "I suppose… I suppose you can say there is much I have come to regret…"_

_He winced as she pounced upon that word. "Regret? What do **you**, of all people, have to regret?"_

_Here was that fear again. That fear of opening up too much, of being rejected for who and what he was. It surrounded him like a bubble, consuming his mind and soul whole._

_"I suppose… you can say I regret many things I have done in the past…" he kept his voice unfathomable, completely devoid of expression. "I suppose you can say that sometimes, I wonder if I should have truly escaped the ruins of-"_

_Heather stopped him with a hand. "Listen, Teal. I don't know what has got into your head that makes you think this, but for once in your lifetime, don't live only to regret. Move on, Teal. Move on and find happiness. That is what your loved ones would have wanted." she placed a sisterly hand on his shoulder. "Teal… I'm concerned for you. You helped me pull through one of the hardest times in my life… and in return, I have done nothing. Please, Teal… live… live your life and let go of the past. You told me as such..."_

_It was truly a shame that she did not know that it was for that exact reason why he had considered, many times, to simply fall upon the nearest sword. How could he give help and advice to others when he couldn't even solve his own problems? How he would have shamed his loved ones so…_

_He hated himself for doing it. But nothing could have prevented him otherwise. To be or not to be came back to him. Heather wanted him To Be. But never before had he ever had to make one extremely hard decision so easily._

_Blue eyes, shining falsely, smiled and nodded._

**_(end flashback)_**

* * *

He was a monster.

He hated every fiber of his body because of it.

He had stood by and watched as millions were killed, as his greatest friends were ripped right from their bodies, and encased in prisons of glass. He had stood by and watched as his second home was destroyed completely. He had stood by, and hid, hoping to escape the tears, the screams, and the pain.

How different were they, really? They had both lost everything because of one mad man and his mad dreams. They had both remained shy and reserved in their ways, fearing that should they speak their fears, they would face only rejection. They both cursed themselves for being the Reapers, the bringers of death. If it weren't for them, would those they cared about still be alive?

Would Tabuu ever have existed?

"Heather…" Teal whispered, his knees turning to jelly. "H-Heather… Heather…"

There was something broken in him. Lucas saw it before him, symbolized by a nearly severed ribbon. The thin threads that still held the precious piece together were slowly fading away.

_"Teal… please… get up… we have to fight, Teal… for Heather…"_

Teal didn't answer, too busy concentrating on directing his icicle attack on the Spaak. Shadow Bugs sprayed all over his fur as the battery pack upon the floating clouds exploded in a shower of sparks. Whatever Spaak were left floating were quickly dealt with by Lucas' own PK Freeze.

_"That's right!"_ Lucas half-heartedly cheered. He could still see the ribbon, held together by a few little tendrils. As another little string broke, he felt fear well up in him.

Teal couldn't break now.

Suddenly, there was a sound, like the scraping of metal against metal. Lucas needed no other introduction as the Shadow Bugs suddenly curdled together in midair, encasing a glowing red orb in a cloud of black. The Shaydas appeared after a single spin, deadly scythes gleaming tauntingly at their unfortunate victims.

"DUCK IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!"

Teal obeyed, getting down on one knee just in time to avoid the all too familiar Super Sheet swinging above him. Xavier retracted the sheet, allowing Teal to throw a few icicles to pierce the sensitive weakness of the dreaded Shaydas. Lucas then quickly took over for his Guardian to wipe out what was left of the dual-blade wielders with a powerful PK Fire. But, as fate would have it, there behind the flames, Lucas was just barely able to make out a familiar shape of yellow and red. But just as he was ready to fire another PK Fire, the figure was gone.

_"I found your body…"_ Teal said grimly.

"Teal! Lucas! Whoever you are!" Xavier shouted. "Stop staring at the pretty, pretty colors and _move_! In case you forgot, we're _healers_! We have big red targets painted all over us!"

Snapping out of his reverie, Lucas placed his hands together and released a PK Freeze. From the ice he created, he brought forth a wall. A group of oncoming Roadturrets slammed into the barrier, stalling them just long enough for Xavier's pills and Lucas' PK Fire to take them down.

_"Rinku's got some nasty cuts," _Teal said as Lucas scanned the battlefield for more incoming danger. Lucas could still see the ribbon before him. It was still desperately clinging to life by a few tiny little threads. It was all to obvious to him that his Guardian was trying his best to not allow his slowly ebbing away sanity to show. _"And Cimar looks like he's lost his marbles… And will someone kindly tell Wolf that it is completely unnecessary to dismember a corpse once it's dead…?"_

"Teal! Hey Teal!" Xavier yelled as he ran around throwing pills. "Wanna know something I noticed? I noticed that, by observing our enemies, I can easily form the hypothesis that… once they're dead… THEY CAN NO LONGER BE ALIVE!"

Lucas could only stop in his tracks and stare at the suddenly hyperactive Guardian of the famous medical man. This allowed Teal to slowly ease his way back into control without his noticing. By the time Lucas _did_ notice, he was already sitting back in the darkest corner of his Guardian's mind.

"Xavier," Lucas heard Teal say. He could quite easily hear that his Guardian was holding back, reserving his emotions. "You haven't happened to see anything involving…"

"Lucas' body? Nope. I've been on the look-out for Dr. Mario's…" suddenly, Squall's smoking form landed right in front of them. "And anyone dumb enough to try to charge Tabuu head on."

"Who you calling dumb…?" Squall muttered. Teal sighed and placed his hands together. A light rain fell on Toon Link's Guardian, closing up a few of his more serious wounds. Within seconds, Squall was up on his feet again and charging at Tabuu… Again.

_"Is he suicidal?"_ Lucas asked.

He regretted those words almost immediately. Another little thread disappeared.

Before Lucas could so much as attempt to reticify his mistake, Teal was forced to leap to the side as a PK Fire came from out of nowhere and singed the earth. Teal only had another few seconds to shield his eyes and roll out of the way as a PK Freeze bit the tip of his tail. Of course, from the moment the first flame had leaped at his Guardian's ankles, Lucas knew _exactly_ who was the cause of it.

His own body glared at Teal, yellowed eyes- once blue- narrowed in malicious intent.

Xavier chose that moment to insert a comment. "… Teal, I found Lucas."

Another Smasher suddenly appeared right next to Lucas, white lab coat billowing in the wind. He glared at Xavier, as if knowing exactly whose soul the young healer held within his mind. Lucas couldn't help but wonder if Tabuu or the Shadow Bugs had granted the Smashers some kind of special ability to know who was whose Guardian.

_"… Don't hold back your pain, Teal," _he whispered as his Guardian tensed considerably. It took him a moment to realize that his voice was trembling as he spoke. _"Stay alive, Teal… hold on… hold on, for Heather…"_

__Then he heard it. Six words, echoing around Teal's mind. It was just barely above a whisper, but audible nonetheless.

_To be or not to be?_

_"Teal! TEAL, NO!"_

His Guardian, as if guided by some unnamed horror, released the PSI magnet. At the same time, his body released a great pillar of fire. Lucas watched its approach in slow motion, bracing himself for the final impact...

_"Teal, I wish for you To Be..."_

It was a shield. A great red shield. It appeared from nowhere, giving seemingly no warning. The PK Fire slammed against it, rattling it, but still it held firm.

It was nearly unnoticeable, but the tiniest bit of thread returned to the ribbon. It was a small change, but a change nonetheless. Lucas couldn't help but feel the faintest touch of a familar Wolfon hand on his own ghostly shoulder before the shield and the presence disappeared.

The ribbon was mending. All the while, Xavier and Teal stood side by side, regarding their respective foes. For a moment, Lucas could've sworn that he saw a tumbleweed make its way across the grounds.

Xavier, not surprisingly, opened things up by reaching into his pocket. However, his hand got no further as Dr. Mario's body took that time to charge forward and, quite literally, jumped on his head. With a cry of pain, Xavier grabbed the unfortunate plumber-doctor's foot and wrenched him to the ground.

Lucas could only watch in shock as the once benevolent Doctor's body charged, easily swinging a darkened version o the Super Sheet without breaking a sweat. Xavier planted his foot into the ground and braced himself catching the Super Sheet and quickly tossed a pill at the unfortunately exposed face of his foe.

Teal and Lucas' body both had the same thoughts at the same time. Two PK Fires, followed by one PK Freeze, and rounding it all up with a PSI Magnet to rack up the projectiles in order to heal. That was how it went, each blow being equally matched with the occasional interruption by a stray pill. Lucas, having mastered his PSI powers over his couple of years as a Smasher, knew all of his own strategies inside and out. And, it seemed to him, his own body did as well.

_"Use the Smashball!" _Lucas shouted desperately. _"We wouldn't have to do this if you just use your Smasball!"_

"I'll use my Smashball as soon as your body allows my hand to get into my pocket," Teal replied as he hurriedly wrenched his hand out of said pocket to absorb an incoming PK Freeze. "We need a way to keep them distracted!"

Lucas bit his lip, unsure of how to reply. It was blatantly obvious that they needed a distraction. But such a distraction had to be huge. Big enough for the Guardians to gain the upper hand in combat, but not so large that they were distracted as well. But how…

A roar split the air, causing the ground to tremor and quake. For a moment, there was a lull in the fight as each member of the two armies dropped their guards to search for the source. Even Tabuu, who had been engaged in a fight against the two Hands themselves, snapped his head around in the direction of the noise.

The first thing Lucas saw was the flames. It was a great pillar of fire, shaped in such a way that it reminded him greatly of one of the Smasher's- he could not quite put his finger on the name- final smashes. Truly, it was a glorious and terrible sight.

The most gorgeous of all sights, however, was what happened next. The pillar twisted and pulsed in the air, as if taking a life all on its own. Soon, Lucas could make out the shape of a great reptilian head forming within the flames. The head was soon followed by a great snake-like body and an ornate tail.

The dragon, its body made entirely of flames, reared upon its hind legs and let out an earth-shattering roar. It flamed once before charging, revealing he who summoned it to all those present on the battlefield. There, standing in between a bubble of the Negative Zone and what looked like some kind of deadly variation of the Peach Blossom, was MS.

This was all the distraction needed.

Everywhere across the battlefield, Smashballs were pulled out and crushed with resounding cracks. Lucas felt quite overwhelmed when a sudden rush of energy, provided by the Smashball, flowed through Teal's veins. There was an intense heat radiating off him, as if every part of his body was aflame. As his body's eyes widened in perhaps shock or fear, Teal planted his foot into the ground and prepared his Final Smash…

... Only to be interrupted by the site of Xavier pulling out a stage from out of nowhere and pull Dr. Mario's body- bound and gagged, mind you- onto it.

Both Lucas' body and Lucas himself watched with some amusement as Xavier pulled out a clipboard and started writing on it, brows contracting in concern. However, his expression of concentration was soon replaced by one of comical shock as he looked up to the sky and ran away. Lucas followed his gaze and in spite of himself, let out a small gasp. A giant bottle of pills fell from the sky, spilling its contents all over the unfortunate Doctor's body.

Random vitamins rolled around, bacteria whacked him relentlessly, viruses cackled in glee. And all the while, Dr. Mario was being continually pelted by all of this. Lucas had no idea how such a beating would get the Smashers' top healer back, but there were greater things to concentrate on.

Like Teal's Final Smash.

Teal placed his hands together, as if he were praying. Then, turning his eyes to the sky, he released all the energy built up within his chest. As this happened, Lucas felt himself leaking out of Teal's mind and spiraling up into the clouds above. Below him, he saw his own body- a tiny yellow dot on a field of black-, and gasped. Never before had he been so high up in the sky.

Objects around him began to shine. The air suddenly became ice cold. It chilled him to the bone. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, these great shining objects suddenly formed together and began raining down on his body below.

PK Starstorm?

No, this was different. These were not stars, but icicles. They fell much faster than the stars, but were not nearly as powerful. But while his body was able to dodge or melt some of the icicles, nothing could prepare it for what came next.

A giant icicle, large enough to pass for the Iceberg of the Ice Climbers', fell on top of him. And within that final icy spike was Lucas' soul. The impact of the ice was enough to jar him, causing him to travel downwards towards the very tip, where he knew his body- probably battered and broken by now- awaited him.

But as the yellow film that had long covered the eyes of the young boy was forcibly lifted, it became all too evident that there was a war. As blue eyes turned to the sky and wept for the first time in years, it gazed upon a sky red with blood, grey with misery, and black with hate.

The battle was won, but the war raged on.


	29. Awakening

Awakening

Life was cruel.

The little Pokemon had never wanted to admit it- he always tried to look at the brighter side of things- but in this apocalyptic world, it was all too evident that the Gods hated him.

It seemed to him that with every breath his Guardian took, something would always go wrong. Something would always hinder them in some way. It was no fault on her, though. Oh no, she was obviously doing the best she could. After all, who wouldn't when right in front of them was the most hated of all beings?

No, it was the Gods.

The dragon had been glorious, radiant against the grey Smashville skies. MS had done well in distracting the Smashers, allowing their Guardians to pull out their Smashballs and crack them as one. But it was the instincts of his own body that betrayed him. The Gods had allowed him- the yellow electric mouse- to be the first to recover him his initial surprise.

Damn them.

Now, bathed in a fiery light, Pikana was forced to cover her eyes as his body kicked up his legs and darted away, taking extra care to kick up as much dust as possible in the process. Caught in the heat of the battle, Pikachu was barely able to register what was happening. Dust clung to the skirt of his Guardian. Dust clouded his vision. Dust caked his throat.

Everywhere, dust.

His Guardian was now going mad as usual. Bazookie was swinging every which way, sending deadly bolts everywhere the eye could see. He could vaguely hear the wet _smack!_ as Primids fell before the Thunder Mistress' reign. Glowing boomerangs- from the Links, the Guardians of the Links, and the Primids- briefly illuminated the scene around him.

But still, he could only see dust.

_BZZT!_

A scream was torn from the lips of his Guardian as a lightning bolt- _his _lightning bolt- ripped through this cloud of obscurity and singed her fur. Growling, she pointed Bazookie in a random direction and blasted. There was an explosion and a loud scream.

Friendly fire.

He felt her heart racing as she realized what she had just done. Unable to help herself, Pikana put away Bazookie and took out Chainy, hoping to avoid hitting another fellow Guardian. But it was through a cruel twist of fate that another lightning bolt- this one appearing from right above her- slammed into her yet again.

Her cells roared to life. Pain- white hot and searing- ripped through her like a thousand tiny needles. If it were not for the Smashball, she would have been thrown from the battle then and there. But it was all too evident that if she could not release the pent-up energy the Smashball gifted her with soon, her one window to help Pikachu recover his body would be lost.

She sensed another lightning bolt coming her way, rolling to the left just in time to dodge it. Pikachu knew from experience that when he called down the Lightning, he would be vulnerable. But only for a brief moment.

This was a game of Blind Man's Buff. A fatal dance where his body was the hunter and they were nothing more than the prey. Pikana gritted her teeth and sent a Thunder Shock towards the source of the lightning, only to listen helplessly as the ball fizzled out within seconds.

"Bro! Help us out here!" it was Picho. There was no mistaking the smell of singed cloth. "I can't see Ness anywhere!"

"Aw… but dust tastes nasty, bro!" Pichn answered.

"Nasty? We're in the middle of a battle and all you can think of is how bad dust tastes?"

"You'd crave for something good tasting too if all you've been doing all day is eating those Shadow Bugs!"

"You've… how do they taste?"

"Kinda like pickles and cheese with a hint of soy sauce. Frankly, I think they could use a lot more soy sauce, but-"

Pikana huffed, obviously annoyed at the two bickering twins. "HEY! How about we do something about this dust already?"

For a moment, there was silence save for the sounds of battle around them. Then, one of the boys- most likely Pichn- gave out an exasperated sigh.

The roar of a vacuum split the air, Pichn utilizing Kirby's greatest skill to further assist the Guardians in battle. Pikachu watched in awe as Kirby's powerful lungs and bottomless stomach, passed on to his Guardian, absorbed the filth around them like it was nothing. As each layer of the pea-soup cloud was lifted away, Pikana and Pikachu both could make out the faint shapes of their foes. The only one they had eyes for, however, was one of a little yellow mouse crouched belly-low to the ground…

_"VOLT TACKLE!"_

The flames surrounding Pikana flickered and faded, retreating into the very core of her little body. She closed her eyes, summoning the power from deep within her core, and released, white hot lightning bursting forth from her cheeks.

Pikachu could feel his own heart racing at the speed of the crackling electricity. Never before had he felt so exhilarated. For in this moment, he was both the generator of this deadly aura and _part_ of it was well. He could taste the power in every one of his incorporeal bones, both beautiful and terrifying all at once.

There was no end to the beauty. For at the moment the Volt Tackle was unleashed, at least twenty Final Smashes were given their due as well. For in the wake of Pikana's thunderous charge came what could only be the Zero Laser, Golfer aiming just beyond Pikachu at the once-proud body of the mighty Samus Aran. To her left was Squall, eyes bathed in red flame as his Triforce Slash ripped through Toon Link's feeble defenses. To her right came Sam's battle cry as he- Young Link's Kokiri Sword looking little more than a butter knife in his hand- too unleashed the fatal Triforce Slash.

Time seemed to slow, as was fitting. For then above Pikana came a cry loud enough to shake the heavens. For a brief moment, both Pikachu and his Guardian averted their eyes upwards and saw Miles- golden like Sonic's Super Form- flying at such a speed that it would make the Hedgehog himself envious.

Ah, but perhaps most beautiful of all were when Picho and Pichn appeared right next to her, running at such a speed that it seemed to Pikachu almost impossible. They both beamed matching grins- brothers' grins- at the little Pokemon in between them.

Pikachu felt Pikana's happiness well up at the sight of those grins. There was something behind them that seemed to warm her greatly. Perhaps it was the knowingness in their smiles or the shades of memories long gone past stirring somewhere deep within their eyes that caused this. But in the end, it would not matter. Because it was now all too obvious that some part of them- whether they were aware of it or not- they _knew_.

Pikachu's body rolled to the side, avoiding Pikana's charge just in time. Frustrated, Pikachu's Guardian performed a might U-turn before charging again. But while the Volt Tackle was fast, Pikachu's body was _faster_. It rolled and dodged every charge easily, as if taunting its foe.

Pikana was almost crying.

Tears of anger.

Tears of frustration.

Tears of resolve.

She was not alone. No matter how much Tabuu and his Subspace Army tried to separate her from her friends, she was not alone. She never was.

Pichn growled, placing his hands together as a chef's hat appeared on his head. Out of nowhere came a giant frying pan and spatula, which proceeded to flip as many nearby enemies and Smashers as possible into a deadly sauté. Pikachu watched as Ness' body sizzled, Kirby's body burnt, and his own body transformed into a ghastly flambé.

Of course, that was still not enough to create the perfect dish. So Picho now added his own twist to the plate as a rain of fireworks from the heavens pelted the "food" mercilessly. Picho and Pichn wore matching grins as they danced around this frying pan, celebrating a victory begotten only from days upon days of nothing but intense training.

Pikachu could feel it coming. He saw the little flame right in the center of the pan- his body, desperately trying to shake off the deadly flames- and knew that it was time to cut ties. His happiness roared, his heart thundered in joy. He wanted to dance, to laugh, to sing, to show Tabuu just who was boss.

And yet…

Pikana's feet pounded on the ground as she released the last of what was built up in her cheeks. Once again, Pikachu was riding the electricity surging around her as she twisted her way past the obstacles, towards her target. He only had time to open his ghostly mouth one last time, to speak an oath that only he could ever hear…

A flame roared around him. His nerves screamed out in agony. A pain like none other ripped through him.

And it felt glorious.

* * *

_"Eric! Hey Eric!"_

_The mechanic looked up from his latest project just in time to catch the unnecessarily large jar flying towards him. He paused for a moment, blinking bewilderingly as he realized that this was a rather large jar full of peanut butter. True, he had requested that someone go grab him glue or something to help him with the thing he was working on, but honestly…_

_Who in their right mind would assume peanut butter would be suitable glue? _

_"Ridere!" Eric shouted as the boy walked over. "Why you no bring glue?"_

_Ridere grinned. For the first time, Eric noticed that Snake's Guardian was also carrying a jar of jelly and a banana. "Because… IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!"_

_Eric rolled his eyes as he set down the jar, taking extra care not to allow it to touch his little project. "Peanut butter jelly time or not, couldn't you have grabbed anything else?"_

_Rider shook his head. "Cimar wouldn't let me touch the flour and water after the Bread Incident. Not only that, but Nao would Shadow Ball me to death if I went anywhere near the honey pot. And then when I went to ask Aly for some chewing gum, she threatened to shoot me until I turned into swiss cheese!" the young man placed the back of his hand to his forehead in an exaggerated sigh of exasperation. "And who knows what would happen to Snake if I was turned into cheese!"_

_Eric rolled his eyes again. "So instead, you sneak into Mars' food store and swipe a jar of peanut butter?"_

_"Actually, I'm pretty sure that thing came from Wrath's food supply, but you never know," Ridere shrugged. "Just be happy I didn't take it from Picho or Pichn. Knowing them, that thing would have a bomb in it or something!"_

_"Or something is right," Eric sighed as he turned back to work on his project. Truth be told, it was a rather sad little thing, made out of Ridere's Box, one of Aly's many guns, glue, a few strips of metal, and- now that Eric realized he had no other choice- peanut butter._

_"Are you sure you're willing to take a risk like this?" Eric asked as he applied the peanut butter to various parts of the box. "Because I'm surprised Snake isn't giving you a migraine for sacrificing you box like this."_

_"'Tis a sacrifice I'm willing to make!" Ridere replied cheerfully. "Besides, he already kept me awake two days straight after I let you take my box. He's better now, though." he then raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of Smashers, I haven't heard from Lucario in a while. Is **he** sulking too?"_

_This won a small chuckle from the Guardian of Lucario. "No. Simply doing his usual: meditating. Honestly, he spends more time meditating than he actually does fighting."_

"Or I am simply wondering why in the name of Arceus we are attempting to build a satellite canon using nothing more than a box, a few metal strips, a gun, glue, tape, and bits of strings," _the Aura Pokemon sighed. _

_Eric laughed. "Lucario, you just have to believe!"_

_"Believe it!" Ridere said, giving Lucario- and Eric- thumbs up. "But seriously, do you think it'll make it up there?" he pointed towards the sky._

_Eric stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well… if we can get Nao to agree to teleport the thing up into the sky… then I don't see why not. Of course, the only concern you should have is whether or not it will stay aloft!."_

"And whether or not it will be operable," _Lucario added, winning an upward glare from his Guardian._

_Ridere gave the satellite cannon a poke with his toe. "You sure?"_

_"I'm about as positive as the number of times Aly has hit me rather than the target while target practicing."_

_As if in response to his quip, Eric immediately was forced to duck as a laser went sailing over his head. Not a mere bolt from a laser, though. The gun itself._

_Evidently, his partner was currently practicing throwing her lasers at Mars. Not surprisingly, the Sky Claw pilot was taking extra care to knock any gun sent his way towards the unfortunate Wolfen pilot. _

_Ridere raised an eyebrow, but grinned all the same. "That's pretty positive! Alright, so now we just have to go get Nao and-"_

_"You called?" Nao asked as he teleported in between the two. Taken by surprise, the two Guardians fell backwards. Luckily, neither of them landed on top of the satellite cannon. _

_Ridere was the first to recover. "Nao! There you are! Listen, Eric and I built this satellite cannon…" he gestured to the supposed weapon, causing Mewtwo's Guardian to raise an eyebrow. "And we need a way to get it up into the sky. Since Mars and Aly are busy with target practice and Eric is too lazy to turn on his Wolfen…"_

_"Hey!"_

_"We thought you could help," Ridere finished._

_Nao tilted his head slightly as he stared at the satellite cannon. "Uh… you guys know it's a box, right?"_

_"Not just a box," Eric said. "It is a Global Herald of Innovative Retrospect Akin to Harbinger Indication and Momentum."_

_"… The G.H.I.R.A.H.I.M?" Nao asked._

_"It's FABULOUS!" Ridere declared. _

_Nao blinked. "Okay… where do you want me to send the G.H.I.R.A.H.I.M?"_

_"In space, of course!" Ridere replied. Eric laughed as he nodded his confirmation._

_"I got that… but where in space?"_

_"Oh, anywhere is fine," Eric replied, smiling quite sanely. "No matter what happens both Ridere and myself will be able to call it to us when the time is right."_

_Nao blinked yet again, but said nothing. Frowning at the G.H.I.R.A.H.I.M, he held out his right hand- palm up- and made a tossing motion with his arm. At the same time, a purple flame surrounded the satellite cannon, lifting it and holding it suspended in mid-air for the briefest of moments. Then, with a small explosion, it was launched into the skies._

_Ridere grinned. "Thanks Nao, thanks Eric! That thing's going to really help us in the final battle!"_

"That is, if it is somehow able to come crashing down upon Tabuu's skull,"_ Lucario commented drily. _

_Eric slapped the side of his head in an attempt to jar the Aura Pokemon from its rather cynical mood. "Come now, Lucario! Have confidence in my inventions! Everyone else does!"_

_Nao turned away and whistled._

* * *

If there was one thing about Lucario, it was that he had almost always envied those other Pokemon gifted with the ability to fly. He didn't mean levitate like Mewtwo and even himself occasionally, when ready to unleash an Aura Storm. No, it was more than that.

Levitation was great, yes, but it was not the same. Levitation was a power that took years to master and even then, a non- Psychic or non-Legendary user could only ever lift oneself off the ground a few feet at most. Flight brought new heights, new freedom, new possibilities.

And he had his Guardian to thank for everything.

Eric wrenched his steering wheel to the left as a Greap's scythes cleaved towards him. The deadly blades were quick to attempt spinning again, only to be blocked by Nao as his own twin swords rose to counter them. Eric only had time to give the Guardian of Mewtwo a brief thumbs-up before he fired his rockets right into the weak-point of his deadly foe.

But that one Greap was only a diversion. For in that brief moment that Eric and Lucario had concentrated on the Greap, they had failed to sense the great mass of aura charging at the Wolfen. It was not until Lucario's senses flared ghastly that Eric finally noticed just what was flying at him.

_"WE HAVE A SITUATION HERE!"_ Mars screamed over the radio before an explosion rocked the ship. In the distance, the sounds of rockets being fired could be heard as Aly unloaded extensively on this new, deadly foe.

Meta-Ridley roared its disapproval, arrogantly using his wings to swat away the rockets as they neared him. Its tail came up and swiped at a certain Sky Claw as it neared the pterodactyl-like creature, nearly taking off a chunk of Mars' wing in the process. In response, Falco's Guardian immediately opened fire before speeding away.

_"Impossible!"_ Lucario growled, unable to believe the aura he was currently sensing. _"We Smashers destroyed Ridley years ago! He is surely beyond repair!"_

"Amazing what you can do with a lot of Shadow Bugs and Space Pirate technology," Eric breathed as he slammed buttons and flicked switches.

_Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!_

In only what could be called machine gun-like fashion, a hail of bullets unleashed itself upon their monstrous foe. Lucario briefly saw a flash of pink hair as Nao flew around the Leader of the Space Pirates and delivered a powerful blow to his arm. A chunk of armor flew off, exposing the deformed and rotting flesh underneath.

_"We've got a weak-point, boys!"_ Aly shouted. _"HIT IT WITH ALL YA GOT!"_

_"Not yet, Eric,"_ Lucario said. _"I can sense arrows coming this way."_

Eric closed his eyes briefly as well, testing the aura below him. "Arrows… Lasers… and… is that a Waddle-Dee?"

In answer to his question, a hail of arrows appeared out of nowhere and slammed into the vulnerable fleshy spot Nao had managed to uncover, causing the dinosaur-like being to screech in rage. Its tail now went up and came down on Nao, who was not quick enough to dodge. But before Eric could move a finger to help him, Mars' Sky Claw had already swooped in and caught him.

There were three- no, four- new figures flying around Ridley now. Sam and Young Link- who had since then reclaimed his body- leaped off of Traca in her dragon form and onto Meta-Ridley's back as the manakete flew off to flame at the Feyish and the Shaydas that dared wandered near this great battle in the skies. Meanwhile, Sam and Young's swords glittered as they weaved in and out of the armored plates, creating chinks in them that allowed for Aly's now slightly more precise aim to rip through the exposed flesh underneath.

Eric slammed into the gas and charged, barrel-rolling out of the way of numerous arrows, Gordos, and lasers. Lucario felt his exhilaration rise as his adrenaline reached new heights. With the wind roaring in the Aura Pokemon's ears, he watched Eric let loose yet another rain of bullets, this time directed right at the right eye of the Space Pirate Leader.

Meta-Ridley roared in agony as its eye exploded in a shower of blood and fluid. Eric pumped his fist in victory as Mars and Aly proceeded to relentlessly attack the right eye. Nao, now recovered, swooped in to where Sam and Young were to hack and slash at the wings of the dreadful foe.

Ah, but it was not nearly going to be that easy. For in that moment, the bodies of both Mewtwo and Lucario chose to arrive. Both were locked in mortal combat with Kai, who was desperately using Ganondorf's dark magic to fuel his own power over aura. All three landed right on Meta-Ridley's back, easily shaving off more chunks of armor as deeply evil magic, Psychic power, and aura flared.

Eric, his attention caught by the Aura Pokemon's body, now opened fire. Sam and Young were forced to roll to the side as the rain of bullets grazed them as well. Lucario could only watch in horror as his body wrenched Mewtwo's in front of it, allowing its Psychic rival to take the hits.

It was a truly disgusting sight indeed. Mewtwo's limbs seemed to explode in fountains of deep purple blood as the bullets ripped through the thin layer of skin. Lucario could almost hear Nao's cry of rage as the young Guardian swooped in and aimed his sword at Lucario's exposed back. But the Aura Pokemon's body had already sensed his approach and it was only a matter of time before- instead of Nao's sword slicing into the fur of its back- it slammed into a chink in Ridley's armor and stuck there.

Things were desperate now. Eric opened fire again, only to be met by a shower of Aura Spheres. He was forced to wrench his ship to the side to avoid most of them, but his cockpit window took heavy blows. Mars and Aly, still trying their best to avoid Ridley's claws and tail, were distracted with blinding the pterodactyl. There was almost no help for the three Guardians and one freed Smasher as they were lifted into the air by Mewtwo's body- terribly weakened from the wounds it sustained, but nonetheless still fit to fight- struggling as if they were being strangled…

Then it happened. Two helicopter-like devices appeared from nowhere, their pilots clashing into each other like bumper cars in a slippery rink. Indeed, even without reading their aura, Lucario knew immediately who the two were. After all, who could ever look at the sight of a young boy and a grown man feebly trying to kick each other or hit the other with grenades and _not_ be sinfully reminded of a certain former soldier and his Guardian?

Ridere had the upper hand. He was lighter, faster than the body of the former Smasher. Wherever he lacked in strength, he was able to make up for it in speed and accuracy. And it was either through great foresight or pure dumb luck that a powerful double-kick to the chest of the former Smasher sent him hurtling downwards, slamming into the still bleeding body of Mewtwo. Lucario watched as his rival doubled over in pain, sent careening of the edge of their enemy's wing.

Eric breathed a sigh of relief as the Guardians were dropped onto Ridley's back, disoriented by nonetheless alive. In the meanwhile, Ridley continued to shriek and slash at the two Star Fox vehicles buzzing around his head like flies, fruitlessly attempting to grab head or tail of Mars' Sky Claw or Aly's Arwing.

_"Eric, things are going to get messy!"_ Aly shouted. _"I'm almost outta ammo and Mars won't stop hitting and running!"_

_"It's working!" _Mars snapped back. _"I'm taking a Hell lot less hits than you are!"_

"Hang on, you two," Eric ordered. "Try avoiding his claws as long as you can! I'm-" he dropped his radio in surprise.

Nao and Kai were glowing with an unearthly light. Lucario watched in shock as Nao rubbed his hands together, forming a Shadow Ball unlike any other. It throbbed and twisted like some sort of disgusting animal, slowly elongating and taking form. It was not long before the Shadow Ball had become a giant gleaming scythe. At the same time, Kai's aura flared to new heights, colored deep purple like the magic of his Smasher. From out of nowhere he too created a scythe, this one glowing deep red with many Hylian runes.

What happened next, however, was perhaps the most terrifying thing Lucario had ever witnessed. The two scythe wielders leaped off Ridley, aiming straight for the ground. The way the light hit them made them seem as if they were twin Reapers, vile creatures that appeared only in the most sick and twisted of nightmares. They descended to the ground easily, slicing once, twice, three times…

Time to get back to reality. Eric and Lucario wrenched their eyes away from the sight of the gruesome Primid massacre long enough to see Ridere slamming against the window of Eric's cockpit. The pilot barely managed to pull his fellow Guardian in in time to avoid the hail of rockets at they slammed into the window, mercilessly shattering numerous glass panes to pieces.

"Ridere, you okay?" Eric asked over his shoulder as his fingers nimbly danced over the buttons of his great arsenal of guns.

_"His aura remains strong,"_ Lucario reported. _"However… he will not hold out much longer if he continues pushing himself to such an extent." _the Pokemon proceeded to frown at the quickly fading Smashball flame surrounding the Guardian of Snake. _"And I believe that he must utilize his Smashball soon. Otherwise, he will get no other opportunity to help free his Smasher."_

Eric nodded, acknowledging the Aura Pokemon's words. For a moment, Lucario felt him consider dropping off Ridere near Teal or Xavier, but soon dismissed it. After all, he was needed in the skies. Ridley was not going to blind himself.

Ridere coughed as he shakily got to his feet, clutching his ribs. "Ugh… got hit by… Kage's Final Smash in midair…" he grinned, showing a slightly cracked tooth. "She's gotta try to control that laser of hers… could hurt someone… heh…" he winced. "I think I… cracked a rib… or six…"

Eric bit his lip. "Ridere… do you think it's time we use G.H.I.R.A.H.I.M?"

Much to Lucario's bemusement, a smile slowly spread its way across the boy's face. "I thought you'd never say so! Let's get cracking!"

Eric quickly yanked open his glove compartment. Out rolled a remote control of some sort and of course, the familiar glowing sphere. He tossed the remote to Ridere before picking up the Smashball, the fragile object pulsing gently under his fingertips.

"Listen well, Ridere!" Eric shouted as he was quickly forced to swerve out of the way of an army of Waddle Dees. Down below, he could hear faint music pounding away, the sound of Bongo Drums as someone- most likely crystal- pounded a beat. Not long after, Chi and Mah both flew by- each on a barrel jet pack and wings respectively- leading the Waddle Dee Army towards an unseen group of Smashers or the Subspace Army below.

"Listening!" Ridere answered.

"Any second now, Beeh should activate her End of the Day!" Eric told him. "I want you to start activating the cannon as soon as she does! The thing's loaded with two different beams: a stun blast and a vaporization ray! I don't want you using the latter unless it's absolutely necessary, got it?"

"I think so!" Ridere answered as he was forced to grab onto the nearest piece of equipment as the ship rattled from a blow of Ridley's claw. "Shoot everything like there's no tomorrow… FABULOUSLY!"

"… Close enough," Eric relented.

Lucario closed his ghostly eyes, trying to tap into the aura of the young Guardian of Olimar. He was able to pinpoint a small pinprick of neon green light standing somewhere near Tabuu himself. Another pinprick- this one black as night- seemed to be throwing things at the neon green one. Of course, many of these objects being thrown seemed to be ineffective, but…

_"She has prepared her Smashball!"_ Lucario warned as the neon green light suddenly flared to bright orange.

"Get ready, Ridere!"

"Ready!"

The aura changed from bright orange to deep red. _"She is preparing to unleash it…"_

"She's gonna let it go!"

"I'm ready!"

Then, the deep red aura split into two, each glowing brighter than any star in the night sky. Somewhere in the distance, there was an explosion as a rocket launched itself into the skies, a black blanket covering almost the entire battlefield as creatures found only in nightmares preyed upon friend and foe alike.

"NOW!" both Pokemon and Guardian shouted at the same time.

Lucario's senses roared as Ridere's Smashball-fueled aura flared, the boy channeling all of his concentration into the little remote he held. At the same time, Eric's fingers bit into the fragile sphere he had been clutching this whole time, a burst of energy speeding through him as he was given power beyond anything he had ever felt in his life.

Two things happened at once. The first thing was that Eric- in a single moment of either pure stupidity or utter genius- swiftly barrel rolled his way straight into the one remaining eye of the Space Pirate Ridley. Samus' foe, now completely blinded, thrashed and screeched more than ever as the blood dripped down to earth. Mars and Aly both took this opportunity to let lose everything they had, rockets, missiles, bullets, and cannonballs painting the skies lead gray. Sam and Young, knowing that the end of Ridley was near, let loose a deadly volley of Fire Arrows into the spots of Ridley's back they managed to expose before they too jumped off the dying monster and were swiftly caught by Traca.

The second was the ejection button. Both Eric and Ridere knew it was coming. Both of them were able to escape just in time, Eric sustaining heavy damage from being at the very fore of the suicide attack. It was by divine providence, however, that Ridere managed to pull out his helicopter device and catch him just in time.

He was delivered upon the back of the still-thrashing Ridley, where he was to await Lucario's body. The Aura Pokemon was able to sense that his body was desperately clutching on to Ridley's tail somewhere, fighting the Space Pirate's thrashing and twisting like none other. Eventually, though, it would emerge.

And then he would be free again.

It was a cut and bleeding Eric that witnessed his creation, the G.H.I.R.A.H.I.M, unleash its wrath. A terrible beam from the heavens ripped through the skies as Ridere activated the deadly vaporization beam. Eric knew full well who this terrible herald of death was aimed at and he could not help but wince at the thought.

Faintly, Lucario could hear Snake scream. But whether it was the agonized cry of the Shadow Bugs or the terrible shriek of Snake's own soul, the Pokemon would never know. For in that moment, he could sense himself slowly being broken apart, various parts of his ghostly form being slowly concentrated into tightly packed shells.

Ah, there he was. As Ridley spiraled down to earth, peppered to death by the teamwork of the Three Pilots, his thrashing was slowing. It was now much more manageable for one to gain a foothold upon the Space Pirate's armored form.

He saw his body, little more than a blue blur as it nimbly leaped from where it was hiding and charged at his Guardian. Eric activated Double Team, briefly disappearing and reappearing with a powerful counter-attack. But nothing could prepare him for when the body of the Aura Pokemon placed its palm against his chest.

Pain. Pain beyond pain. Lucario knew all too well what its source was. It was Force Palm, a powerful attack that concentrated the aura of the victim into a single point and forcing it to flare, painfully reminding them of the price of having such a gift from the gods.

Force Palm was a brief attack, but a powerful one nonetheless. Eric had been forced to deliver a powerful kick into the stomach of Lucario in order to avoid a second treatment. He could see now that the body of his Smasher was busily concentrating its own aura into a glowing blue sphere, Lucario's signature attack.

No more games.

Eric pulled his two guns out of their holsters and spun them, taking careful aim at his foe. Before Lucario knew it, he felt himself melting away, every ounce of his soul being channeled into the two deadly firearms. Just as the last bit of him faded away from his Guardian's mind, Eric pulled the trigger.

And then, he emerged. He came out piece by piece, a hail of aura encased bullets replacing his Aura Storm. Eric suddenly became nothing more than a quickly fading speck behind him as the Aura Pokemon zipped through the air, leaving behind him the life he had come to known since the day he was finally released from that dreadful glass prison.

The next thing he felt was agony. It came at first as nothing more than a whisper, as he had not yet truly reclaimed his body. But the more his willpower grew, the more Shadow Bugs were expelled from him, the greater the pain bloomed.

And it was through this pain that he received his awakening.

* * *

_"Hey, you two coming or what?" the raven-haired boy asked, deep brown eyes shining like twin obsidian stones. "Break's gonna be over soon and I don't wanna run into them Smashers again!"_

_"Takashi, break was over three hours ago," the brunette young man countered sharply. At ten years old, he was the youngest of the group of three._

_The only girl in said group came running not long after, huffing and puffing as she tugged at her sweat-soaked rags. "Taka, how much further? My feet hurt…"_

_The raven-haired youth, Takashi, grinned as he spread his arms wide. "Austin and Psyche… Mr. 'We-totally-shouldn't-do-this' and Little Miss Cousin of Mine… Behold! I have gathered you here today to take a look at… that!"_

_And what a glorious sight "that" was. For over the horizon, the children stared in awe as a great sphere of golden light slowly made its regal way from what seemed like out of nowhere. The sky, once shielded by a blanket of black, was illuminated in glorious gold, pink, and red, a gift from the mighty round king that was slowly treading his way across the skies._

_The days in Smashville were forever colored a dull gray, the nights tinted red and black with blood. Beauty such as this was rare, and rarer still was the opportunity to witness it. But here they were, these three friends for life, watching as the great orb of fire in the sky- called the sun by the Elders- rose and with but a single wave of its hand dispelled the sea of blackness._

_"Pretty…" Psyche whispered as the sun continued to rise. __Austin__, transfixed by what he beheld, could only nod in agreement._

_They had been together since the beginning. Pretty much born together, raised together, educated together, worked together... these three were inseparable. With Takashi playing the part of the reckless youth, Austin being the careful young man, and Psyche just simply being the naive young woman, there could simply be no other that could replace them. They had literally been through everything together, from all the punishments Takashi often incurred to the quiet breaks Austin enjoyed taking. These three, to be exact, were synced. They had done everything together as toddlers, and that was not changing anytime soon.  
_

_Takashi smirked. "Yeah. Sometimes, it totally pays getting out of the factory once in a while. You get to see stuff like this!"_

_"It kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?" __Austin__ asked. "Just what was this place like all those years ago…"_

_Psyche scrunched up her nose as she kicked the dirt. "Those people sure were lucky back then! They probably got to see something like this every day!" she looked to her cousin, who always seemed to know something or the other about Smashville in the past. "Isn't that right, Taka?"_

_Her cousin seemed distant as she said this, his gaze focused on the spectacle before him. "… Yeah… everyday, probably…"_

_"Taka?" she waved a hand in front of his face. "Helloooo? Anyone hooome?"_

_Takashi blinked twice before he turned to her and grinned. "What?"_

_"You seem distant, Tak," __Austin__ said before Psyche could speak. "Is there something on your mind?"_

_Takashi sighed, blowing back his long bangs as he did so. "Yeah, I guess you can say that…" he looked out towards the horizon again and spread his arms, as if gesturing to the whole of Smashville itself. "Have y'all ever wondered what this whole place was like before ol' Tabuu moved in?"_

_"We've done so often, Tak," there was a new note in __Austin__'s voice now. A hint of sadness was creeping into it. "Lately, you've done nothing but talk of such things."_

_"That's my point, __Austin__!" Takashi said excitedly. "Don't you see? What if we can make a difference? Tabuu's been ruling for what, 95 years or so now? What if _we're_ the ones destined to take him down? What if _we're_ the ones that are gonna be able to make the difference? What if-"_

_"What you're speaking of is treason!" __Austin__ hissed in a harsh whisper. "Tak, all the talk of what this place was once was is dangerous enough! But plotting to overthrow Lord Tabuu? You could be hanged!"_

_"Stop being so paranoid, __Austin__!" Psyche pouted. "Taka's just got big dreams in his head that's making his brain all wonky. I bet with all of that ego stored up in there, there's barely any room for smarts!"_

_Takashi let out a low chuckle at her quip. "Yeah, you got that right, cuz…"_

_Austin__ bit his bottom lip. "Let's just… never talk about this again, okay…?"_

_Takashi laughed. "Alright, Mr. Paranoid, we'll play along." he turned to them and spread out his arms again, exposing his thin rags and nearly as thin chest. "Just take a good look now, you two! 'Cause in about five years time, this thin little maggot here's gonna make a big change in this world!" _

* * *

Irony. That's what it was. Irony. Pure, stupid irony.

It was irony that led Wrath to be the first to charge at Tabuu, the hated King.

It was irony that led Lin to perform a full out three-on-three Pokemon battle against the body of her Smasher. It had ended up in an all out combined Pokemon attack, Hydro Pump, Solar Beam, and Flamethrower ripping through the battlefield like it was nothing.

It was irony that had led Traca to literally fight fire with fire as she nearly burnt Roy's body to a crisp with her Final Smash: a powerful blast of fire.

It was irony, then, that led to this.

Pit watched as his body charged yet again, twin blades gleaming deadly gold. His Guardian, speed being her greatest trait, rolled to the side and sent a Light Arrow after him. His reflexes proved to be his savior, as his body pulled out a mirror shield just as quickly and sent the arrow flying back at her. Perhaps it was by Palutena'swill that she found within herself the wit and the speed to twist out of the way.

There were shouts. Running feet. Panting. Guardians trying to come to her aid.

But she remained as infuriatingly stubborn as ever: "GET BACK! THIS IS _MY_ BATTLE!"

_"Psyche, don't be so stubborn! They can make this eas-"_

"NO!"

Her feet, cut and bruised as they were, were light and quick as she switched from ranged to melee to range again. His own body- with its great capacity for both ranged and close combat continually abused its flight to taunt her, knowing full well that she lacked the wings with which to soar.

But still, she refused to give in.

Pit's body flew in again, blades whirling as he pounded her with a powerful Angel Ring. Psyche was forced to dodge to the side, nearly landing in the way of Chester as the Guardian of Pichu ran in to help. But before he could so much as hold out his hand, she was off again.

It had occurred early on to Pit that she was yet to use her Smashball. Stubborn fool. She insisted continually that her Final Smash- _his_ Final Smash- was too easy to dodge. And with his speed and Mirror Shield, even the Commander of Palutena's Army had to admit that she had a point. She- they- would have to wait until a moment of vulnerability, whether they had to knock the Mirror Shield out of his hands or pin him under a ton of rocks.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

There had been other Smashers, of course. Evidently, Tabuu didn't understand the concept of a one-on-one fight. Then again, any Smasher that dared tried to interrupt this fight ended up getting their butt kicked via Guardian anyways.

Okay, that was a bit of a stretch, Pit corrected himself. But he at least got the gist of it right. While some Smasher bodies- such as Ike's- foolishly charged right into their respective Guardian's Final Smash, others- such as Meta Knight- were intelligent enough to keep on the move. As such, Wrath had been forced into the defensive when he realized that he only had one chance to help save his Smasher once and for all.

She aimed an arrow at his body's wings and fired, mentally bending the projectile's trajectory slightly so as to guide it on its path. Unfortunately, her arrow missed by more than a few feet, allowing Pit's body to fly in while she was still vulnerable. It was only a split second between the time she released the arrow and the time she was forced to recover, but that was more than enough.

A flash of white clouded Psyche's vision, then a searing pain ripped its way across her forehead. She spun once and stumbled, nearly falling into one of the many giant holes littered around the battlefield. JB, Fyre, and Drake, gigantic in their Final Smash forms, had literally ripped it apart in an attempt to hit Tabuu. Unfortunately, the hated man had teleported well out of harm's way, not bothering to lift so much as a finger let alone a Chain of Light to counter them.

The next thing Pit saw was a curtain of red. A redness so familiar to him by now, it was a wonder why he still felt so sickened by the sight of it. His Guardian's blood blinded her to his body's next attack, which came from behind. It was only moderately strong, but it hurt nonetheless. One moment, there was pure agony in Psyche's right shoulder, a golden dagger sliding through the space between her shoulder bone and ribs like they were made of butter. The next, it was gone, and once again, she and Pit were left alone in this horrifying world of red.

_"My body's toying with you!"_ Pit shouted. The angel had been attempting to take over for her ever since the beginning of the battle. But her infuriating stubbornness, her overly ambitious wish to prove herself to him kept pushing him back. _"Let me take over, Psyche! Please! I can handle it!"_

"No… no…" she was swiping at her forehead with her hands. Trying to wipe away her blood. Her hair. Her tears. "Can do this… need to pr- AAAAAGGGH!"

A cry ripped itself from her throat as her left shoulder received the same treatment as her right. She swung wildly behind her with one half of the Bow of Palutena, only to slice through air. It was not long before her right wrist was caught in an iron grip, Pit's body twisting the half she held away from her as she cried out in pain. Pit watched as his body now raised its other hand, which held his blood-soaked bow.

She would have died then and there, had it not been for Chester and Pichu. The two were racing through the battlefield, Chester in the middle of his Volt Tackle Final Smash and Pichu simply attempting to evade him. They glided quite close to the angel, slightly singing its wings. That one bit of pain was enough for it to take its eyes off his target, giving Pit's Guardian the chance she needed.

Her left arm came up, still clutching the gleaming gold blade. She plunged the deadly weapon right into the hand that held her, creating a deep gash from thumb to wrist. With an inaudible shriek of pain, the angel's body released her wrist, only to be met by a second blow, this one from her Mirror Shield.

The shield was a large and clumsy weapon, but powerful all the same. Had Psyche been fighting a normal human or Primid, they would have slumped to the ground then and there. The blow from the Mirror Shield stunned Pit's body, sending it reeling to the ground. Psyche herself only had seconds to throw down her won weapon and leap atop the vulnerable angel in an attempt to wrestle his bow away from him.

Nose to nose the two were as they wrestled for control of the bow. But in the end, it was a powerful kick to the stomach that caused Psyche to lose her grip, the wind rushing out of her as Pit's body turned the tables.

Pit was ready to leap out and kill. _"NO!"_

Psyche was on the ground, pinned there by Pit's knee on her stomach. What was more, the bow was now positioned just above her neck, held there by the angel's body as it attempted to push its weapon down onto her throat. She continued to struggle, however, gripping the shaft of the bow as the point hovered threateningly a mere centimeter above her flesh.

His Guardian's hands were shaking. It was all too evident to Pit that they were. Her breath came to her in near-hyperventilating gasps as she stared into the pale yellow of eyes that were once his. He felt the horror, the fear, and the disgust well up within her, knowing full well that these were the eyes she had seen only in nightmares, that these were last things her best friend had seen…

Where was her Smashball? That's what she needed right here, right now. It was the only thing that could possibly save her. Pit felt dread well up in him as the bow slowly began to lower, the tip pressing ever so slightly into her neck.

Then something cracked.

Pit felt an intense heat flare up all around him, the walls of Psyche's mind suddenly turning a flaming red and gold. The Commander of Palutena's Army looked around him, bewildered at the sudden change, sweating from the intense heat. It was as if he were being burnt alive by an invisible flame, one that only grew more intense as time passed.

There was a fire in Psyche's eyes as her arms found renewed strength, stopping the point of the bow dead in its tracks. It remained there, pressed barely a hair's length into her skin, drawing very little blood. She glared into the yellow orbs before her and for a moment, Pit could've sworn that he saw a shadow- a shade of what he once was- flicker from behind the yellow film that covered his eyes.

Guardian and Smasher spoke in unison.

"All troops, move out!"

Whether it was her voice or his that carried to the heavens above, he would never know. But it was not long before he found himself once again in the air, gazing down at the scene below him as Psyche continued to struggle with his body. Pit looked down and realized that he was clad in glittering gold armor, just like the suit he wore when he had travelled to the Sky Palace and defeated the hateful Medusa.

A cry welled up from behind him. It rose in a feverish crescendo until it reached a truly glorious pitch. It could only be the cry of the Salvation Army. He could feel the pain, the hate, the misery, and the rage his Guardian had felt since the day they first met. But at the same time, he felt her smile on his cheek, her happiness in his wings, her laughter in his ears…

There were shades standing behind him. Shades he recognized from her past. They seemed to fade in and out, once moment incorporeal and worldly the next. He saw old friends, long dead mentors, two adults that shared between them the features she carried upon her young and naïve face…

Three people in particular stood out to him. Or, to be exact, one did. For at the very edge of the army, gripping a red blade with a black streak was none other than Heather Wolfon. A solemn smile was on her face and her magma eyes glowed as they locked with Pit's sky blue ones. But it was with a gentle gesture of her hand that she then directed his attention to two even more familiar looking people as they slowly walked up to him, the army forming a path for them to reach him.

Both of them were young men clad in shining silver chainmail, and were grinning nearly identical smirks. One of them- with his gentle brunette locks, brown eyes, and kind, open face- could only be his Guardian's old friend, Austin. The second- with his raven tresses and undeniably mischievous demeanor- could only be her cousin Takashi, who had passed away long, long ago. The two looked not a day older than eighteen.

The brunette, Austin, saluted him. _"We're ready when you are, Captain. Just give the order!"_

Takashi smirked. _"I'm ready to kick some Tabuu ass! Who's with me?"_

The army screamed and banged their weapons upon their shields in response to his call. Pit suddenly felt a great weight on his shoulders as he realized that he- who had not so much as stepped foot in Skyworld for a hundred years- was being named the unofficial commander. For a moment, he hesitated, unsure if it was the time for him to take command once again.

He felt a gentle warmth flow through him, washing away his self-doubt like a gentle river. He had felt such warmth many times before in his life, and that was when the Goddess Palutena appeared before him to bestow her blessings. In a moment, he was ready, a grin slowly forming on his features as he slowly raised his own Bow of Palutena.

_"CHAAAARRRGE!"_

The Salvation Army descended, swinging swords, lances, and scythes as they descended down onto the battlefield. Battles between Smashers, Guardians, and the Subspace Menace seemed to freeze as a brand new battle cry rang through the air. Divine blades sliced and cleaved their way through Shadow Bugs, purifying everything they touched. The two armies watched, one in delight and the other in rage, as the Subspace Army soon began to shrink.

At the forefront of the charge were Pit, Austin, and Takashi. Austin wielded a glowing Bo Staff, whereas Psyche's cousin swung a gilded sword. As Pit glided swiftly towards his body- which was struggling to comprehend what was going on- the two on either side of him easily cut down any enemy that dared stand in his way. But in the background, not taking on the assault herself, Heather watched with a calm expression on her face.

He could already see that the fire that surrounded Psyche was dying. As such, so too was the Salvation Army. As Pit glided closer to his own body, he could only watch as one by one, the soldiers that made up the army- the shades of his Guardian's past- slowly evaporated into golden smoke and floated heavenward, back to the skies where they belonged.

Pit watched Takashi's sword come up and slice easily at a passing Ike body before Cam tackled it to the ground. He saw Austin easily pin Wario's body down tithe ground as Eclipse readied his own Final Smash. While their comrades continued to fade and fly skyward, these two continued their assault, knowing full well that at any time, they too would be forced to leave.

As he neared his own body, Pit looked to Heather. With a final nod and smile, and a swish of her cape, the Wolfon began to walk away. Time seemed to slow as she too evaporated into golden smoke and floated up to the skies.

Pit soon became aware that a battle still raged on. His body was still in that same position over his Guardian, knowing full well that all it had to do was kill her before the angel would cease to exist. Gritting his teeth, Pit used the full momentum in his wings to drive himself forward, flying faster than he had ever flown before.

_"This one's all yours, Commander!"_ Takashi said cheerfully as he started to fade.

_"Take care of her, alright?" _Austin asked softly.

Takashi laughed._"Otherwise, we might just have to come down and haunt you."_

_"Tell her we both miss her…"_

_"And that it better be at least sixty more years until the next time all three of us are together again, cool?" _

Pit watched the two young men that had been closest to his Guardian before his time disappear, nodding quietly to their smoking forms as they floated back to the skies. He was only inches away from his body now, which was now trying futilely to run away. As ghostly hands plunged into the back of what was once his, he could not help but think about how ironic this whole thing was.

She was the first Guardian known to be awakened, but the last to be set free.

* * *

It had to be said. He was sick and tired of this war. He was sick and tired of The Hands. He was sick and tired of the Gods forever forsaking him.

He was sick and tired of these meddlesome kids.

_Lust…_

It was the lust for power that had cursed him. And there was no doubt to him that it was because of this that the Shadow Bugs flocked to him so easily. And yet, while the Gods easily turned their backs on him, the power the Shadow Bugs gave him was enough. He would be the victor over these foolish kids, whether they decreed it or not.

_Greed…_

Greed was everywhere. He was greedy for power. He was greedy for victory. He was greedy for revenge. It was an insatiable thirst, an unsatisfied hunger. He wanted Smashville, the world, the universe!

He wanted it all.

_Gluttony…_

The more Subspace absorbed, the greater it became. His world was one of a vast empty blackness. But it was because of all that the Shadow Bugs absorbed and corrupted that such emptiness was lifted. They wanted more… _more_. The more they absorbed, the greater they would become. The larger his kingdom would grow.

_Acedia…_

How many things had he neglected in his life? His family? He didn't have one. His allies? They were more pathetic than the angel without his wings. His gods? He _was_ a god.

He had neglected to make sure that the Master Hand was absolutely powerless before ordering the attack. How was he to know that Fyre possessed the ability to transform into a giant behemoth of a demon? That Eclipse was able to find within himself the power to overcome the wing shard locked within him and release powerful blast of lights via fart?

It hit him then and there that there was another thing he had neglected: the battle. He had neglected to raise a finger and fight. He had assumed- quite sinfully- that the Guardians would easily be crushed by the likes of Ridley or his Smashers.

Oh, how wrong he truly was.

_Envy…_

Perhaps he did envy the gods and their power. Perhaps he did envy the Master Hand for his foolish little army of Guardians. Perhaps, in a strange and twisted way, he did envy the Smashers for being given the title he had so dearly desired in his youth.

Perhaps he did envy the Guardians for the gifts they received from their own gods. He had watched as Cameron, locked in a deadly duel against the former mercenary Ike, had unleashed his Final Smash: the Great Aether. It was not the Flame of Tellius that surrounded him as he moved, but electricity, which crackled all around him with each blow he dealt to Ike's body. It was a glorious sight indeed!

But none of that mattered now. Now he had the power to not only crush the Smashers, but their pathetic little human vessels as well. Now he had the power to rip apart the gods piece by piece, force them to give him what he demanded. Now he had the power to reign supreme.

_Pride…_

Pride. That's what he was. The living embodiment of pride. He was perhaps the most sentient being in the universe, able to look into any of the known worlds and see what could not be seen. He knew the mysterious secrets that the Sheikah guarded, the dark past of the Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, and even the reason why the Pokemon had so long ago been enslaved. He knew all of this and he felt his pride swell.

And yet the thing that was supposed to be his proudest achievement of all, his greatest victory, was approaching him at a slow, even pace. And behind this failure was the Guardian Army. The army that should have been crushed long ago. The army that _stole_ what was rightfully his- the Smashers- and turned them against him. The army that should have fallen from the moment the Guardian of Ike and the Scion of Rage crossed swords.

_Wrath._


	30. Guardians Arise!

Guardians Arise

Wrath.

He had been named after one of the seven deadly sins, a name to represent all that the man- nay, creature- who raised him believed in. He had grown up in the midst of luxury and grandeur whereas his fellow humans suffered in the flames of this Terrestrial Hell. He had been trained as a weapon, specifically to counter any foolish little worm that dared stood in his father's way.

But now, he was a tool no more.

Did it infuriate Tabuu? He hoped it did. His time with the Guardians had changed him, giving him a rebirth he had never expected. His eyes had been opened and he saw the world as he had never seen it before.

The gods had not forsaken him. Master Hand had made that much clear to him. In spite of the crimes his foster father had committed- and tried to force upon him- he had emerged from the very home of Tabuu himself untouched by the corrupting horrors of the Shadow Bugs. The gods, instead of forsaking him, had chosen to gift him instead. He had a soul, a mind, a will…

He stood before his father now, the blade in his hand describing small circles in the air. With each step he took closer to Tabuu, he could _feel_ the air around him suddenly drop ten degrees. Involuntarily, he allowed himself to shiver, unsure if it was from cold or from fear.

For a long moment, Tabuu said nothing, only glowering at the Guardian Army as they slowly walked or limped closer to his shadow. His Chain of Light swung menacingly at his side, like a viper ready to strike. Wrath began breathing deeply as he approached, attempting to calm his screaming nerves as he stared up into the blank blue face of the man he had grown to hate.

Tabuu was the first to speak, his cold voice holding naught but spite. "Ah, my dear Guardians… come to die…"

There was a shuffle from behind the former Guardian of Meta Knight. Then a shout. A deep gray blur shot forward, claws still shining red from a throat freshly shredded to pieces. It took the speed and power of both Meta Knight and Captain Falcon to pin down the wrathful lupine. Wrath watched as Wolf, every bit of his sanity having been engulfed by the misery of his loss and the unending flame of his rage, was forcefully pinned down and held there by the F-Zero racer's powerful arms.

Wolf thrashed and snarled, clawing at his fellow Smasher in an attempt to get free. Weakened though he was by Joe's Final Smash, the F-Zero racer only tightened his grip on the Star Wolf pilot, steeling himself against the rush of pain and Wolf's own rage.

"You ought to control such an animal," Tabuu spat, leering at Wolf. "You know, while you were under my control, Star Wolf pilot, you were more than a little well-behaved. I can almost say that you were quite the… docile one..."

"BASTARD!" Wolf howled, struggling to break free of Captain Falcon's grip. "LET ME GO! I'LL RIP HIM TO SHREDS! THEN I'LL RIP HIS SHREDS TO SHREDS! THEN I'LL-"

"Hush, Wolf!" Mario barked. The plumber, whose face was very badly cut and burnt, then glared up at Tabuu. "Give up now, Tabuu! You've lost!"

Tabuu threw back his head and laughed, a truly mirthful sound that was both musical and completely dead all at once. Wrath felt the blood rushing from his face, his every nerve tingling with fear. He willed his feet to move, to leap, to put an end to this horrible man once and for all. But no matter how hard he willed, his legs refused to budge.

Frozen in fear.

"Do you forget, Plumber, that I still hold the power within me?" Tabuu sneered.

Master Hand now spoke, his every word sounding as if it were a great effort for him to speak. The Creator of the Smashers floated almost limply in the air, his many injuries the result of attempting to take Tabuu head-on. "Mario is correct, Tabuu. Power or not, you have lost. There is no way that you can take on all of us and win."

Again, he laughed. Wrath felt his hand tighten on the hilt of his sword as he crouched low, steadying his breath to calm his racing nerves. Throughout this whole exchange, Tabuu continued to grasp his Chains of Light. Even now, Wrath could faintly see a strange red tendril of power encircling the chains. The Soul Stealing Power, which was once a charged blast of red light, was now concentrated within the Chains. If they were not careful, their souls would be forfeit.

"And how would you know whether or not your precious Guardians will remain loyal to you, hm?" Tabuu spat. "What have you offered them, Hand, in exchange for throwing away their own life to end mine? Nothing!" his gaze swept over the Guardian Army, drinking in every face, every injury. "Look at yourselves, Guardians. Look at what you have become. Does this scare you? Disgust you? Do you not wish for something greater than a pat on the back from this fool of a limb? Join me and I can offer you so much more…"

"Shut it, Tabuu!" Pit snapped before Master Hand could speak. "There's no way in the Underworld they'll listen to you!"

Every muscle in Wrath's body tensed involuntarily as Tabuu, ignoring the angel, continued to speak. "I know there are those among you that wish to recover the ones you've lost… do you miss your siblings? Your friends? I can bring them back, you know. Once I've gathered the power of the gods, I can easily bring them back. All you have to do is join…"

Wrath saw a flash of temptation flit across Psyche's face at his words. But her expression soon changed into that of disgust as Tabuu briefly turned his gaze to her, a smirk appearing on his nonexistent mouth as he too noticed the enticement. However, the blue man turned once again to the Guardians, the Chains of Light swinging ever so slightly as he spoke again.

"But I also know that there are those of you who wish for power… the power to protect others. Whether it be to defend your own kingdom or to simply to keep your precious little siblings from harm, you still wish for the power to make a difference. I can give that to you, you know… I can give all of that to you…"

Wrath watched his foster father as he slowly revolved in mid-air, turning until Tabuu locked his gaze with his own. The Chains of Light seemed to be swinging faster now slowly making their transformation into the lightning fast blur he knew all too well they would soon become. It would only spell death for them- all of them- if they continued to stand here and stare. And there would be blood, oh so much blood…

Never again.

"NO!"

It was a deep-throated cry, echoed all throughout the Guardian and Smasher army as they all leaped as one. Swords were ripped from sheathes, scythes cleaved the air, magic flashed, guns discharged, flames roared. Wrath could barely hear his own war cry as he and Meta Knight- Guardian and Smasher- ripped their way through the space between them and the Subspace Lord with deadly Mach Tornadoes.

The first thing that could be heard over the clamor of blood-thirsty roars was Tabuu's scream. The man, large though he was, had not reacted fast enough to the sudden all-out attack. The moment Wrath's and Meta Knight's blades pierced the hated one's blue skin, blood- black like evil itself- dribbled its way to the ground.

Wrath held on to his former foster father with his blade, twisting it deeper into the body of his foe. Tabuu, growling in annoyance, raised his hand against the boy to flick him away like some kind of bug. But before he could so much as brush Wrath's hair, Aly and Mars were unloading everything that was left of their arsenal of weapons upon Tabuu.

"Hey, need a lift?" Pit shouted as he flew by. Without waiting for an answer, the angel swooped down and plucked Wrath away- sword and all- just in time to narrowly avoid Traca as she and Roy sped by.

Wrath took a moment to catch his breath. "T-Tha-"

"No thank you's needed!" Pit shouted over the rush of the wind as he dropped Wrath back on the ground. "Just do me a favor and stay al- WATCH OUT!"

Wrath only had seconds to duck as a line of explosions sailed over his head. But while he was distracted by these Pinpoint Explosions, Tabuu activated his Ghost Projection ability, creating what seemed like endless copies of him to create damage all over the field. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw as Cam and Ike, their respective swords humming their dreadful perish song, both leaped into the air and came down upon the Subspace Lord's skull with a resounding _crack_!

"HYLIANS! CHAAAAAAARRRRGE!" Rinku shouted, pointing the Gamersword in Tabuu's direction as he charged forward. Alongside him were Link and Sheik, Master Sword and deadly chain glittering menacingly as Tabuu transformed into his Gold Brackets to pick up Cimar and slam him to the ground.

"PK FIRE!" four throats cried out as flames roared through the skies. Tabuu smirked and easily countered with his shark blade, ripping a nasty wound through Teal's arm as the Guardian of Lucas shoved the other three out of the way. Snarling, Teal responded with a Cool Howl before Xavier grabbed his arm.

Wrath charged again, another Mach Tornado at the ready. He soon became aware of pounding feet as Miles and Sonic both caught up with him easily, even surpassing him. Wrath was only barely aware of the two blurs before he twisted his way towards the glowing core that was Tabuu's heart.

Tabuu was large, but he was fast. Too fast. Before Wrath could so much as connect with a wound upon the monster's body, the Subspace Lord had teleported, nimbly dodging Wrath's attack like it was nothing. Wrath's world spun as he spiraled down to earth, but nothing could prepare him for what happened next.

Tabuu appeared on the other side of the Guardian Army, the side where their healers had retreated in case their aid was needed. Wrath watched numbly as Tabuu pulled his Dragon Laser from nowhere, tauntingly charging it up as the healers began to flee. As Wrath finally landed on the ground, a laser sailed over his head, singing the tips of his hair. Trembling from exertion and relief, Wrath lifted his head to scan the battlefield.

Drake and JB were both fighting their hardest, axe and daggers piercing Tabuu's skin, more of his blood staining the earth. Game and Watch threw sausage after sausage at their hated foe. Not far away, Jigglypuff lay in a messy heap, a small spurt of red coating her pink skin. But it was she that lifted her head to face Wrath, fear all too evident in those big round eyes.

She knew it was coming.

"HE'S BRINGING OUT THE DAMN BOOMERANG!" Wrath shouted, his voice lost in the clamor of the battle. Wrath watched as Tabuu pulled out his three-bladed shuriken boomerang from nowhere and sent it spinning right at Traca, opening a deep gash across the manakete's chest. Roy leaped at Tabuu, screaming oaths of revenge as Traca let loose one last flame at Tabuu before she began to spiral back down to earth.

Wrath, trying his best to ignore the pain, struggled to his feet and charged once again. He soon became aware that Tabuu was now toying with the Guardian Army, teleporting in every direction possible to avoid the "pathetic" attacks thrown at him. There seemed to be a pattern in his teleporting, though, almost as if…

It took one second for Wrath to realize what was happening. Tabuu had teleported, appearing only a few feet away from the Guardian of Meta Knight. Before Wrath could so much as scream, he was being slammed with chop after chop after chop.

Pain beyond pain ripped through him, the deep purple energy of Subspace engulfing his vision. Something warm and wet began trickling down his face as he desperately clawed at his sword to fight back. He felt something in his chest shatter, then another, then another…

"NOT MY GUARDIAN YOU SCUM!"

Through the red haze that had settled over his eyes, Wrath was suddenly aware of a blur of purple and blue. He could just barely make out a flash of gold as Galaxia created wound after wound upon the hated man's skin. Wrath, blinded by the blood in his eyes, wrenched his sword from the ground where it had fallen and released a piercing scream, thrusting his sword forward to put an end to the battle at last…

Only for the cry of rage to quickly transform into one of horror.

The last thing he saw before they were separated was Meta Knight's wide-eyed stare as the Star Warrior clutched feebly at the blade lodged within him.

* * *

These Guardians were pathetic. He could take them on easily. True, there were many of them and a few of them managed to land a couple of hits- good ones at that- and maybe make him bleed a little. But that didn't matter. One this was all over, the Shadow Bugs would heal him. The Shadow Bugs would see to his welfare…

It was a shame, truly a shame, that he would have to turn his blade against the boy he had once called his son. But then again, he supposed that was only natural. After all, if the one you raised to be your greatest pride had only become the cause of your deadliest wrath, the only way to fix the problem was to exterminate it.

Speaking of extermination…

He writhed and twisted in the air, transforming once again into the Shark Blade as he tore a large gash through the Guardian defense. Cackling internally, he released a Bullet Rain the moment the Shark Blade had faded, surely infuriating that annoying little girl in the process. Speaking of the Guardian of Fox, a single blast of energy from his palm sent her precious plane careening from the sky, forcing her Smasher to have to catch her as he flew by.

Something stung his skin, opening pinprick sized holes with each impact. Glowering in annoyance, he turned towards the source of the Arrows of Light- the Guardian of Pit- and transformed yet again. Her tiny body writhed and fought as she attempted to escape his Gold Brackets to no avail. He slammed her into the earth, taking extra care to slam her face first to the ground. Then, to add insult to injury, he proceeded to abuse her with his Rapid Chop, slamming the tiny body with every ounce of his strength.

He knew this would infuriate the angel.

He _hoped_ it did.

"PALUTENA DAMN YOU!"

A white blur charged towards him, clutching twin blades of blue and gold. Smirking, Tabuu unfurled his wings. He only had a few seconds to catch the expression of horror flash across the Captain's face before an off-wave sent him and Mars' Sky Claw careening from the skies.

The off-wave did more damage- much more damage- than before. Tabuu watched in glee as Guardians and Smashers alike were sent flying, dust and dirt whirling around them like tornadoes. The Subspace Lord took this opportunity to teleport to where the vulnerable Nao and Mewtwo were, slamming them with a Bullet Rain before the two could so much as blink.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" it was the Guardian of Lucario's voice joining the fray, a dust-mask covering his mouth and nose as he nimbly dodged numerous flying bodies and made his way towards the Subspace Lord. Tabuu watched with some amusement as he unloaded his gun on him, lasers lightly tapping his skin but only burning it very slightly.

"Very cute, Little Eric…" Tabuu purred. "But now it is _my_ turn!" and with those words, he began to grow once more, reaching a near impossible size. A burning began building up behind his eyes, released as two powerful lasers. Eric was forced to dash away as both lasers singed the tips of his combat boots.

"HEY! YOU! YOU WITH THE FACE! GET OVER HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN!"

A slight, but unexpected pain appeared on the back of Tabuu's neck. This was soon followed by several more as grenade after grenade made contact with him. He now turned to view this new attacker, screaming in rage as Ridere and Snake both unloaded every explosive they had on them right into his eyes.

Blinded by the black blood that poured from his newest wounds and the smoke left by the explosives, he swat blindly at the air. His hand connected with something small and vulnerable, his ears singing happily as a sharp cry of pain was torn from Snake's lips. He rubbed the blackness from his eyes and turned around to brutalize the Guardian of Snake even more.

He never got his chance. For it was Nask and Marth that were now upon him, slamming their swords into any part of his body they could reach. The swords were little more than pins, but the pain was annoying nonetheless. Out of the corner of his eye, the Subspace Lord perceived the famed Bounty Hunter Samus Aran and her Guardian preparing to fire lasers at him.

He knew what to do.

It was with a quick flick of his wrist that he plucked the Huntress and her little sidekick from the ground, swinging one of them in each of his hands. He threw the two like baseballs at his attackers, sneering in glee as Golfer took out both Nask and Marth in one fell swoop. Samus, her Power Suit equipped with the means necessary for her to recover, managed to avoid hurting her allies at the cost of the suit in the process.

"FALCON PAAAAAAAWWWWWWNCH!"

That racer again! And there was not one but two of those stupid punches! But no matter. He knew exactly what to do against these two annoying little bugs. For the moment each punch connected with him, he was already on his way with his Diving Slash. Joe and Captain Falcon were sent reeling away as he swooped between the two and then released an Electric Shield to shock them even more.

He was left open to projectile attacks, a fact that Pikana and Kage apparently knew all too well. It could only be they that were utilizing their powerful Thunder and Laser attacks non-stop. The attacks were extremely powerful. He was quite sure he had not felt such pain before in a very, very long time.

No matter.

It was with the utmost calmness that he unfurled his wings once again, preparing an off-wave that would prove to the Guardians just what type of a force they were facing. He faced his main targets- the yellow Mouse Pokemon and the Guardian of ROB- and sneered. This would be the end of their days.

Then, something all too familiar happened.

He felt naught but pain as not one but two ear-splitting noises rang in his ears. For while during the First Subspace War, the Blue Blur of Speed was able to slightly damage his wings, he now had a partner in crime. And it was the combined power of Sonic and Miles that rendered his most powerful offensive useless.

And all he felt was rage.

He let forth a wordless roar, singing his wrath to all four corners of the battlefield. Once again he writhed and twisted as he transformed, the Shark Blade taking shape.

For a moment, he was nothing more than a blur, a gust of wind, a rushing beam of light. The Plains of Smashville became nothing more than a great blur of color and sound as he twisted his way through the air. Tabuu was only vaguely aware of the red blur that pushed the blue one out of the way as he approached, transforming back into his humanoid form at the last second to gaze upon his newly captured prize.

He remembered this feeling all too well. The feeling of a tiny, writhing plumber lodged within his palm. The high echoing cry of his fellow Smasher- his brother- ringing through the air at the sight of the Leader of the Smashers captured so easily. Already he could vaguely feel Luigi's fist slamming into his leg, the Green Plumber desperately attempting to free his brother from the inevitable.

And Mario… oh, Mario… there was no end to the joy Tabuu felt as he watched the Her of the Mushroom Kingdom writhe and struggle within his fist. All it would take is one squeeze. One single squeeze in just the right spot…

"Give up now, Plumber…" he whispered, his soft voice carried by the wind. "You'll never win… surrender now and I might allow you to live…"

Mario spat in his face. "You are the one that should be giving up, Tabuu! You know nothing of the power we all hold!"

Tabuu laughed, truly laughed, with his head thrown back and shoulders heaving. "Pathetic Plumber! You truly place your belief in these pathetic little things you call your Guardians? In these stupid little bugs you call the Smashers? How can you seriously place your faith within them when you can barely be taken seriously yourself? Look at you, stupid Mario! Look at you and look at the ones who like you claim to be Heroes! Who was it that defeated you once and for all? Who was it that so easily ripped your souls form your bodies? Who was it that did what no other mortal could do before him? It was _I_! I, Tabuu, Lord of Subspace and soon to be Lord of all the known universes! You stand no chance against me!"

The plumber- with his infuriatingly piercing blue eyes- only glared back at him. "Look at yourself, Tabuu… you claim yourself to be a man and yet I see a monster before me. I do not know if the man within you still exists, but… for all that you have done… for all the suffering you have caused to my Guardians, my friends, my family, and the woman I love… I…"

Tabuu tightened his grip on the plumber, feeling his pudgy stomach give way between his fingers. "You…?"

"I-I-I… f-f-for… give…"

He tightened again, squeezing the plumber, watching as his face turned blue. Beneath his glowing blue fingers, he could feel the slightest of cracks as the plumbers spine slowly gave way one vertebrae at a time. In the distance, he could hear Luigi's scream of rage, feel MS' and Green's fireballs as they slammed into his skin, taste the salt of the Guardians' tears. But it did not matter to him. Because right here, right now, the greatest of them all would fall…

"MARIOOOOOOO!"

The woman's shriek filled the air, followed by a mighty blast of pain as something pink exploded in the Subspace Lord's face. Caught by surprise, Tabuu felt his fingers loosen on the plumber, dropping the round body on the ground. He only caught a glimpse at the plumber's broken body- limp, like a ragdoll- before he felt more searing pain across his face as the enraged Princess Toadstool avenged her beloved.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Tabuu staggered, his Chain of Light flailing wildly as he threw it in every direction in an attempt to ward off the furious monarch. But before he could so much as tear her infamous pink gown, more pain had come. This time, it came in the form of arrows, magic, blades, guns, and fists.

Every Guardian was throwing all they had at him. Every Guardian, every Smasher. The Teachers and the Students rose against him and he felt their wrath. Flames licked his heels as electricity and aura flared outwards, slowly eating away at the hide of the Subspace Lord. His Chain of Light felt heavy as Guardian after Guardian after Guardian grabbed onto it and attacked it with their weapons, desperately hoping to shatter the Subspace Symbol of Power before it could be used against them again. Tabuu attempted to teleport away from this chaos, but he found that he could not.

For no matter where he went, the Guardians and Smashers would follow.

He felt blood- his blood- slowly coursing out of him through numerous gashes and wounds. With his great size, whatever injury inflicted was little more than pin-sized. But there were many and every single one of them bled all the same. Even now, as his gigantic hand swept a few Guardians off of his Chain of Light, he had no time to avoid a powerful blow to the head from Sakura's golf club.

"FOOLS!" he screamed, lashing out with his Chain of Light. Much to his anger, the Guardians he lashed at managed to leap away. "IDIOTS! Do you not know who you are up against? I am Tabuu, Scourge of Smashville, Conqueror of the Smashers! I AM KING!"

Once again, he teleported from the Guardians, far enough away so that none of them- not even Miles and Sonic- could prevent his final gambit. Smirking, he unfurled his powerful wings, damaged though they were from Miles' and Sonic's attack. He heard the outraged cries of Guardians and Smashers alike, felt the searing pain as they slammed their weapons and shot him with renewed vigor, desperately hoping that they could avoid the final Off-Wave.

He would give them no mercy.

Tabuu threw back his head and laughed, a sound that chilled all to the bone. It was the highest, most maniacal laughter anyone on the battlefield had ever heard. It was at this moment that the Subspace Lord knew- and accepted- that he had truly gone mad. All of these long days with the Guardians, all of these years ruling Smashville alone only to see it nearly be robbed from him in a single battle... only a fool would not have gone mad.

Miles and Sonic were far away, much too far away to prevent anymore Off-Waves. Any other Guardian or Smasher would not be fast enough. In a heartbeat, he would use the last ounce of his strength to send forth the ultimate Off-Wave, the most powerful attack he possessed, even when his wings were in this distorted, saddening form. For even while his most powerful ability was crippled, the Prince of Subspace sang in jubilation.

_He won!_

* * *

He had enough.

He was tired.

He was hungry.

He was angry.

His Smashers were hurt. His Guardians were hurt. It was his fault… _his fault_ that this had happened. If he had only been more careful, if only he controlled himself better, if only…

It didn't matter now. He saw what he had to do. He and his brother had done little this battle, but that was all going to change. It was time that they took a stand. It was time that they helped the ones they had come to call their children. It was time that they prove to the foolish Subspace Lord that while Subspace could consume all, Good would always rise.

It was time they joined the brawl.

"YOU ARE NO KING!"

He and his brother moved as one, curling into fists and shooting themselves forward. Everything from Guardians to Smashers flashed by in a blur, wind whistled around him in deadly white swirls. Power, _his power_, which had been restrained for so long was born anew. He was the Creator, Crazy was the Destroyer.

Together, they were the Universe.

Twin fists connected with the shattered remains of Tabuu's wings. The hated man saw them coming, but could do nothing to stop them. It took all but a second for everything to collide.

An explosion rocked the earth, shards of Tabuu's wings slicing into him as he was blown back. For a moment he was blinded by pure white light, deafened by the shattering of the wings and the enraged cry of Tabuu. Blood and dust choked him, clouded his senses, sending him hurtling towards the ground.

But then, something within him rose. For by the time his body hit the ground, it was already too late- much too late- for the Subspace Lord to save himself. Because weakened though he was by this attack, the Master and the Crazy Hands still rose above their injuries for one final assault.

Crazy led the Smashers.

He led the Guardians.

A single all out attack, pitting every ounce of strength the Guardian Army had left within them against Tabuu. Weakened by the shattering of his wings, the Subspace Lord could only pathetically swing around his Chain of Light as he slowly shrank down to size. At this moment, the Guardians and Smashers finally chose to unleash everything they had left on him. His screams shattered the air itself. His blood painted the ground black. Crazy Hand gave one final order, allowing the Smashers to get in their last attacks before the left hand turned to his brother, twitching a little more erratically than normal as he gave an extremely subtle nod. Master Hand needed no more encouragement.

It was time to end it all.

"This is it!" Nask shouted as she charged, her Naginata swinging in deadly arcs. "Now!" she leaped forward and performed a powerful Shield Breaker, ice springing forth from her Naginata's tip. Tabuu screamed and clawed desperately at the weapon, unprepared for what happened next.

"If I don't make it out alive…" Ridere whispered. "TONIGHT, I DINE IN HELL!" he flew forward and dropped every single last grenade he had on him, creating glorious explosions from which only the sounds of his torment could be heard.

"Let's get this over with," Crystal whispered, as the former Guardian of Donkey Kong used her chains to summon a gigantic ball. Swinging it over her head, she slammed the makeshift wrecking ball into the cloud of explosions, smirking as a meaty smack met her attack.

"PK THUNDER!" Picho shouted. He placed his hands together and unleashed a ball of electricity, larger and much more powerful than any other he had ever created.

"BOW BEFORE ME, TABUU!" Pikana cackled as she too added her power to the ball of thunder. It grew to twice its size, the electrical field surrounding it powerful enough to make anyone's hair stand on end. It hovered in front of Picho's twin, as if waiting for his contribution…

"Mmmm… HA!" Pichn slammed his hammer into the ball of electricity, sending it hurling towards Tabuu. There were a great many cheers as the ball made its connection with the Subspace Lord.

"You have no place in this world! Shatterheart!" Teal cried. The Lylatian- Wolfdog leaped forward and touched Tabuu as soon as the smoke cleared, sending forth a truly chilling power that froze the Subspace Lord to the bone, lowering whatever defense Tabuu had left.

"FOR SMASHVILLE!" Eric, Aly, and Mars cried as one. The Three Pilots, long ago abandoning their planes, now fought on foot. Six different guns were pulled out of their holsters, six different blasts painting the air a myriad of color. Six different impacts and grunts as Tabuu was forced to take each and every laser, bullet, and blast sent his way.

"SHIT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN!" Joe shouted as he slammed into Tabuu with a powerful Falcon Punch.

"Let's go!" Mah shouted as she and Beeh charged. Eggs and Pikmin mixed in with the laser blasts as Tabuu writhed in pain. The Subspace Lord sent out his Chain of Light, but Mah proved to be too quick. Master Hand felt himself exhale in relief as the Guardian of Yoshi narrowly avoided certain death.

"C'mon, Charizard!" Lin shouted as the Guardian of Red the Pokemon Trainer took control of the Fire Pokemon. Charizard roared its approval as it added its flame to that of Traca's and Fyre's, searing Tabuu's heels with a type of heat that could only be found in the darkest pits of Hell.

"Hey, Tabuu!" JB shouted as he, Chi and Drake rushed the Subspace Lord. "Say AaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" from the Guardian of Jigglypuff's throat came a note so high, so piercing that only the pink Pokemon herself had ever reached such volume. Tabuu clamped his hands over his ears, leaving him wide open for blows from Drake's mighty axe and numerous peanuts from Chi's gun.

KOR now leaped forward, accompanied by Doggie and Kage. As powerful ice bullets peppered the air, Doggie leaped up and came down on Tabuu's head with a large _wham!_, driving every ounce of her bodyweight into this attack. While Tabuu was still reeling from the full-on body slam, Kage unleashed from her eyes a lazer, one so powerful it shook the ground beneath the Subspace Lord's feet.

"Everyone ready?" Sakura asked over the din as she stood together with MS, Green, and Miles.

"LET'S GO!" MS shouted as he drew his beamed katanas and charged. Green's hands were soon enveloped in bright green flames as he, along with Miles and Sakura, charged after MS. Green's flames flared, Sakura's golf club gleamed, MS' katanas sliced, and Miles cackled as blow after blow was delivered to their foe.

"TIME FOR YOU CHECK-UP, TABUUUUU!" Xavier shouted as he, laughing maniacally, pulled a chainsaw from nowhere and charged. Master Hand was forced to save many a Guardian and Smasher to prevent them from being sliced up.

"FOR TELLIUS!" Sigmund whirled and crackled as Cameron charged, not caring that he was running over several Smashers in the process. Letting out an enraged cry, the Guardian of Ike performed Aether after Aether upon Tabuu's slowly breaking form, ignoring the crackling electricity and searing flames that surrounding him.

"If we make it out alive, I CALL TABUU'S THRONE!" Golfer laughed as he cocked his gun. Before anyone could so much as blink, he sent a powerful blast aimed right for Tabuu's head, the sickening stench of burning skin filling the air when it made contact.

"ARCHERS! AT THE READY!" Cimar ordered as he readied his Bow of Light. Next to him, Eclipse, Sam, Rinku, and Squall all did the same. "FIRE!"

"For Gensokyo!" Eclipse declared.

"For the Seas!" Squall cried.

"For the Smashers!" Sam yelled.

"For Hyrule!" Rinku shouted.

_TWANG! _

A hail of arrows were sent Tabuu's way, guided by the Three Goddesses themselves to hit their mark. Fire Arrows pierced the Subspace Lord's left arm, Ice Arrows pierced his right, and Dark Arrows slammed into his chest. Finally, as if by a final insult, Light Arrows pierced his head. Sobbing and pleading, Tabuu finally fell to his knees, desperately attempting to bat away the blood that rained down his face in torrents.

Nao, surprisingly calm in the midst of the chaos, now rose before Tabuu along with fellow scythe-wielder Kai. Glaring coldly at Tabuu, the young Guardian of Mewtwo placed his hands together and whispered a single word:

"Die."

Aura Sphere met Shadow Ball as the two attacks united as one. Chester, standing nearby, concentrated with every bit of his willpower to add an attack of his own to this unholy beacon of terror. Zap Cannon, one of the most powerful electric attacks, gave the Shadow Ball-Aura Sphere combination an added deadliness and gave it just the momentum it needed to collide with their hated enemy…

_BOOM!_

Master Hand was blown back, winded by the powerful explosion the blast created. In the very center of the blast, he could just barely make out the form of Tabuu, shrunken and feeble, a shadow of what the Subspace Lord once was. He could feel darkness threatening to take him, his very mind teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. Desperately, the Creator fought to stay awake, to see what the final results of this great battle would reveal…

He saw someone standing over Tabuu. Someone with jet black hair and skin the color of winter. The figure clutched in his hand a mighty sword, but it was certainly not his own…

It was Galaxia, Blade of Meta Knight.

Master Hand watched as Tabuu slowly lifted his head to his foster son, the Subspace Man's feeble words as he desperately pleaded for mercy echoing slightly in the din. "Wrath… dear Wrath… you… you have come to help, haven't you? You wouldn't hurt your own father, would you?" he reached out and tried to touch the young man's face, only for Wrath to recoil in disgust. "I'm the man who raised you… fed you… turned you into the great warrior you are today… Help me and I will change my ways… I will spare you friends… I swear it… I swear it upon my life…" his tone was desperate now, the fear of death all too evident in the glowing blue face of the Smashers' hated foe. "Wrath… please… please… I'm your father…"

The Creator watched as the Guardian of Meta Knight's face contorted in many ways, going from emotionless, to pitying, to angry, and back again. Tabuu meanwhile gazed up into the boy's face, little more than an innocent, begging worm. Wrath, sword hand shaking, slowly lifted the blade and positioned it over the glowing core of Tabuu.

For a moment, Master Hand saw someone else standing beside Wrath, a tall, familiar figure. Heather Wolfon placed her ghostly hand upon Wrath's shoulder and squeezed it very slightly, as if encouraging him to finish it. Wrath's gaze briefly flashed to the spot where Heather's hand sat, confusion overlaying his features. Before Master Hand lost consciousness, he was just barely able to make out Wrath's final words.

"You are no father of mine."

* * *

The revolt had begun while Tabuu was away at battle.

They had been guarded by mere Primids armed with guns. They- the slaves- outnumbered these pathetic guards ten to one. They were armed with the molten metal, their own dinner knives, and whatever other things they could find.

The battle was brief. They had easily managed to crush most of the Primids and lock the Shadow Bugs within a secured vault. The rest had fled to the Plains of Smashville, seeking death among their own kin. After all, what kind of fool would dare attempt to fight them off when they were outnumbered ten to one?

The slaves had taken over the factory.

His name was Tom. He had been a slave since birth. From dawn to dusk he had been forced to make synthetic Smashball after synthetic Smashball, only ever being rewarded for "bad behavior". It took him a moment- and a long moment at that- to realize what had happened. He had been among the leaders of the Slave Revolution. He had conquered the Primids, their oppressors, and taken over the Smash Mansion.

_He was free!_

Of course, it had to be said that while the Smash Mansion had been taken, there was no guarantee that Tabuu would be defeated over on the Plains of Smashville. In fact, it was highly likely that if he did return, they would all surely perish.

Well, Tom thought, might as well just enjoy the freedom while it lasts.

Indeed, they did. It did not take the slaves long to completely thrash the Smash Mansion. Everything form Tabuu's throne to the walls of Wrath's old room had been layered in various coatings of paint and whatever else the slaves could get their hands on. It was a cry of rebellion, a sign that while Tabuu may return and regain his throne, they would simply submit. They would fight for their freedom, the liberty they had tried so hard to earn. All of this the slaves thought of with every splash of paint upon the walls and throne, and all of this they took into consideration as they stood and waited.

At dawn the first Guardian stood at the gates of the Smash Mansion.

* * *

**A/N: And thus ends our tale. But we are not done yet, folks! Join me for the epilogue!**


	31. Epilogue I: Beyond

Epilogue I: Beyond

"_Integrity of life is fame's best friend, which nobly, beyond death, shall crown in the end." _~ John Webster

* * *

The first thing that had to be done was the healing. The healing and the saving. Doctor Mario and Xavier, his greatest student, worked late into the night bandaging up cuts and stitching up wounds. The slaves and the Hands poured their assistance into the healing process as well. Within a single night, the Guardians and Smashers- at least those without broken bones- were able to move about.

And then there were the search parties. Those that went out to the battlefield and searched for anyone missing. Among these search party members were Guardians, those hoping to land yet another helping hand to the Smashers and the Hands.

Doggie was now walking alongside her Smasher, King Dedede, and Kirby, Pichn's Smasher. The former Ruler of Dreamland had called her out from the hospital tent, secretly thankful that his Guardian had sustained only a few deep cuts and bruises. Doctor Mario had- quite reluctantly- allowed Doggie to venture out of the tent for one hour. No more, no less.

It had been her dream long ago to visit Dreamland, the Kingdom of the Star Warriors. It had been a fairy tale when she was a young girl, a magical place to which she would be able to escape every once in a while. To her, the girl who had grown up in a world of oppression and decay, Dreamland was a faraway paradise just waiting to be rediscovered.

"I'm glad you came, Doggie," Dedede said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "I… I couldn't think of anyone else that could help me and the Kirbs here…" at this, he gestured to the pink Star Warrior. "We… er… we couldn't think of anyone else who was well enough to… to…" the penguin seemed to be choking up, requiring him to wipe his running nose on his bloodstained sleeve.

"… To help us look for Meta Knight," Kirby finished for him. Indeed, after the battle, while many a Smasher body had been recovered, Meta Knight's had not been found. Wrath, much too shaken with the task he had been forced to do, had retired to his rooms after the battle. Both Xavier and Doctor Mario had been unable to coax him out long enough for them to take a look at his wounds.

Doggie took a deep breath, her bottom lip trembling at the thought of the lost Star Warrior. It was extremely likely that by now, the Smasher had succumbed to his injuries. And even if he- by some unheard of miracle- somehow still remained alive, there would be no plausible way to save him. The best they could do was end his suffering.

In this new, hopeful dawn, there could be no hope found for the fallen Star Warrior.

Doggie scanned the battlefield, searching for the familiar cape or mask of Wrath's Smasher. Her nose and ears twitched as she tested her other senses, desperately hoping that she would detect some faint cry for help, some scent that would lead them to the missing Smasher. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the ebb and flow of the breeze around her, willing herself to pinpoint the Meta Knight's exact location.

They found him right next to Tabuu's rotting shell, where he had managed to crawl as his laboring breath slowly weakened. The sword lodged in his chest- Wrath's sword- was still glistening with his blood. He weakly turned his head to look at the trio as they approached, the infamous mask cracked and stained.

"You… have come… at last…" it pained Doggie to hear such a broken voice. It sounded as if it took him a great effort to speak, his every word slow and deliberate.

"Meta Knight… oh, Mets, I thought… I thought…" King Dedede took a deep breath. "I thought… GET OVAH HERE YOU!" before anyone could stop him, the great penguin had thrown his gigantic hammer to the ground and rushed at the Star Warrior, throwing his bulky arms around the blue puffball's weakened form. Meta Knight hesitantly patted his former King on the back before he shifted his gaze to Doggie and Kirby, large yellow eyes searching.

"Wrath… where is he…?" the Star Warrior asked as soon as Dedede let go.

"Back in his room at the Smash Mansion…" Kirby replied sadly. "I… He… he blames himself… for everything…"

Meta Knight's eyes fell. For a moment, Doggie could've sworn she saw a tear glistening down his cheek. "Ah… I would have… liked to… see him... one last time… before I…"

This was impossible. Meta Knight, mightiest of the Star Warriors, couldn't be saying such things! It was madness! Blasphemy!

"Don't say that, Meta Knight!" Doggie said desperately. "C'mon, we're going to get you to Xavier as soon as possible! You'll be better in no time!" she felt tears pricking her eyes, her bottom lip trembling as Meta Knight's gaze turned to her. "Meta Knight, I-"

The Star Warrior shook his head. "No… My time… has come…" he coughed, a deep rattling sound. "I… I hope that… I served you Guardians well… and you, My King…"

"Mets…" King Dedede held back no tears, as great pearls rolling down his cheeks. "Mets, please… don't die… not here… not now…" the monarch's hands curled into fists, trembling with his every word. "W-We… Dreamland… I… we need ya, Mets… we need ya to help us rebuild… help us become better warriors… better people…"

At this, Meta Knight shook his head. "I have already taught two all that I can teach… now it is their job to teach the world… to pass on my teachings to more students, more people…" Doggie watched as Meta Knight now turned his great yellow eyes upon Kirby, who had been silently sobbing through this whole exchange. "K-Kir… by…"

The puffball ran up to Meta Knight, standing over his broken body like it was some sacred relic. "Y-Yes…?"

Meta Knight touched his mask, never taking his eyes off the young Star Warrior. "When I pass on… I wish you to take my mask… you have grown much since the first time I met you long ago… the child has long ago become the man…" he paused briefly to cough, battling Kirby's hand away as the puffball attempted to help in some way. "Take my mask… because you are now worthy to bear the title of Star Warrior…"

This proved too much for Kirby. The pink puffball burst into tears, burying his face in his hands as Doggie, King Dedede, and Meta Knight looked on. Ripping his eyes away from Kirby's sobbing form, Meta Knight turned his great yellow eyes upon King Dedede.

"My King… I hope that I have served you well. As a final parting gift, I give you a new hope. Dreamland is truly a lucky nation indeed to have a ruler so fine as yourself… you have grown, My King, whether you know it or not. I am honored to have served you throughout these years…"

"Mets…" Dedede whispered, his voice breaking as he pronounced the Star Warrior's name.

Meta Knight now turned to Doggie, his gaze never wavering. "And you, Guardian of my King… I name you my heir. For when I was unable to, you bore the burden of protecting my King… I see no other way to thank you for this great service than to ask you to bear the honor of being Knight of Dreamland… Doggie, nay, Lady Doggie… do you accept this honor?"

Doggie clutched her book tightly, tears threatening to fall as the weight of Meta Knight's request fell upon her. She would be instrumental in rebuilding Dreamland. She would from here on out continue to protect King Dedede, continue to learn from him and teach him the ways of being a great fighter.

She would finally be able to see the land of her dreams.

She bowed her head. "I do, Meta Knight…"

This seemed to please the dying Smasher, as he seemed to become more relaxed, more peaceful. "I… have one last request…" he paused for a moment, seeming to gather whatever strength he had left. "Tell Wrath… my Guardian… that no matter what, I forgive him… and thank him for all that he has done. That in many ways, he has grown and become my son… and tell him that as a final gift to him, I give him Galaxia. Let him know that wherever he travels…" Doggie knelt before Meta Knight, watching as the Star Warrior slowly closed his eyes. "Wherever he wanders… I shall… be with him… in… spirit… … … …"

* * *

It was a rather curious thing, the miraculous medical miracles Xavier, Doctor Mario, and Teal had managed to perform that allowed him- even with his blotchy purple bruises and numerous gaping wounds- to walk at this hour. Not only that, but it was even more curious that almost no one had commented on his change. After all, it wasn't every day that someone was purged of the essence of possibly the greatest of all evils, right?

Eclipse stared at himself just a little bit longer before he lifted a finger and, quite tentatively, poked his cheek. The person in the mirror- the guy whom he was quite sure was _not_ his reflection- did the same. The man in the mirror was tall and imposing, with deep purple eyes and ghostly pale skin. His hair was bright blue, matching the color of his skin before the wing-shard was removed from him. This man in the mirror was a stranger to him. Or perhaps, an old friend. Certainly, he could not be the same Eclipse he believed he was.

Curious indeed.

"Hey, Eclipse!"

He turned around, meeting Miles' eyes. The Guardian of Sonic seemed winded as he clutched his chest, shoulders heaving. "You… you haven't seen Sonic around, have ya?"

"Sorry, I haven't," Eclipse replied. "Why?"

"Well, see, I kinda stole his chili dogs on accident. So he stole my knight armor. So then I took his shoes and he just kinda got all pissed and… zoomed off."

Master Hand had agreed to officially knight Miles once Smashville was rebuilt. He would have actually done so on the spot, but the young Guardian of Sonic had insisted that he prove himself capable of accepting the title by doing a great deed first. As if destroying Tabuu's wings wasn't enough!

"Well, if I were you, I'd check anywhere but the swimming pool," Eclipse said slyly. "You know that hedgehog can't swim to save his life."

"Amen, bro," Miles agreed. He frowned as he looked over his shoulder. "By the way… if you happen to see Craptain Falcon hanging around somewhere… tell him that his Blue Falcon is currently at the bottom of a lake and it is highly likely that it won't be digging itself out anytime soon." he straightened and gave Eclipse a flourishing bow. "… This conversation never happened."

Eclipse watched Miles run off, shouting the hedgehog's name throughout the halls. The Guardian of Wario stared out the window, regarded the landscape below him once, then turned and walked out the door. A walk, a long walk, would help clear his head.

"_I see you're still getting used to everything,"_ Mima piped up as he exited his room. _"I can't believe you're back to normal already! And that you could actually kick some butt out there! Man, that was awesome the way you just cut through those stupid Primids like they were nothing! WHAM!"_

Eclipse allowed a smile to form on his mouth, inwardly laughing at the idea that Guardian or no, he would still have a voice floating around inside his head. Strangely, now that Wario no longer took up lodgings up there, his mind felt rather empty. And, though she would never admit it, he was quite sure that Mima missed the garlic-eater as well.

It was strange, to say the least, how his old form had returned to him. The moment Tabuu's corpse hit the earth, all Eclipse had been able to feel was pain. It had been as if a thousand demons were ripping chunks of his soul away from him with greedy fingers, his blood had curdled, his skin had shriveled, his heart had screamed for mercy.

He had known that the pain came from the wing shard. With the death of its master, the shard had been releasing a powerful off-wave-like energy, concentrating it in Eclipse's chest. The Guardian of Wario had known there and then that he was dying. The only thing that was louder than his own screams were Mima's shrieks.

There had only been one moment of clarity before he had allowed unconsciousness to embrace him. It had been the feel of something- or someone- tugging at the vile thing within his chest. The last thing he remembered was the all too familiar stench of garlic…

A sweet tinkling tune sounding from the room next door snapped Eclipse out of his thoughts. It was a truly beautiful sound, the kind that even those who didn't appreciate music would love. Eclipse smiled as he walked into the next room, just in time to see Nask grasping a whip that flashed many different colors in the sunlight streaming through the window. Not far away from her sat a music box with a rose painted upon it, it was from there that the music streamed.

"Hello Eclipse," Nask said as he entered, putting the whip down on the nearby desk. For the first time, Eclipse noticed that the left side of her face was heavily bandaged and her left leg was encased in a cast. A pair of crutches stood not far away from her.

"… That music… it was beautiful," Eclipse said quietly. Nask gave him a small smile in response. Eclipse then cleared his throat and gestured to the multi-colored whip. "But may I ask what that is?"

"An Elysian Whip," Nask answered. "Master Hand gave it to me the moment I regained consciousness." the corners of her mouth twitched. "He said it would tie me over until my hair could grow back." Elipse's eyes were immediately drawn to her dark red hair, where it was quite evident that it had been singed off at some point.

"A good gift," Eclipse said evenly. "It marks you as a Dracoknight now, doesn't it?"

Nask nodded. "Yes. Hopefully, Altea won't object to being ruled by one either."

Eclipse's eyes widened. "Altea? I thought Prince Marth ruled that!"

Nask shook her head sadly. "Not anymore. Marth told me before he left with Roy, Cam, and Ike that he wanted to live out the rest of his life at the Smash Mansion. He'll come to visit Altea occasionally, but he won't be taking the throne anytime soon." her eyes shifted to the window and the grounds below, where Eclipse had no doubt that her younger brother was fooling around. "Ridere and I… we intend to make it a republic. Not immediately, mind you, but we're hoping for a gradual change. It was a Kingdom that was defeated twice before, and it is a Kingdom that shall never rise again." she closed her eyes solemnly.

"You both will be fine rulers," Eclipse told her. "I know it. Perhaps I'll visit someday."

Nask smiled as she opened her eyes. "You and all the others who were willing to give their lives for Smashville are welcome." she blinked. "… Kai has been searching for you, by the way. You should find him near the medical tent."

Eclipse nodded as he walked out. However, he stopped at the door, turned to Nask once again, and bowed. "Hail Nask the First, Queen of Altea." he straightened. "Long live the Queen."

* * *

Kai had never truly been your run-of-the-mill Lucario. That much had been clear to Drake from the moment they met. However, when the Guardian of Game and Watch finally worked up the courage to ask him, he had been met with a rather unexpected shock.

Kai was essentially a Grim Reaper.

He didn't go about flapping his arms and causing people to die, mind you. Rather, he was able to serve as a bridge between the living world and the dead. He could communicate with them, but only for brief periods of time. Kai had sensed the tide of death- which had always remained rather high in Smashville since Tabuu's takeover- spike up suddenly. It just so happened that, when the death toll mounted, the Guardians were awakened.

Drake was now standing before Kai, his hand curled into a fist. Only about an hour before, Doggie, King Dedede, and Kirby had returned from the battlefield. They bore the corpse of Meta Knight. But while the penguin and his Guardian had been surrounded immediately, Kirby had managed to disentangle himself from the group and walked up to Drake. The Guardian- whose Smasher had been missing since the final attack- knew that it was not mud that the little puffball had been carrying in a little red bucket.

He had not cried. He had been unable to cry. After everything he went through, there was little left in him to produce tears. Game and Watch had always told him that though they seemed to be weak, they could rise up and be strong. Drake had never really believed him until now.

His blow was the one that had driven Tabuu to his knees.

Drake stared at Kai, watching the Lucario as the aura around his hands flared. Next to him, Eclipse fidgeted with his new white robes. Only a few minutes earlier, he had arrived, claiming that Kai sent for him. The Lucario, stuck in his trance, had neither confirmed nor denied the claim.

Drake swallowed the lump forming in his throat as Kai opened his great amber eyes. The Guardian of Ganondorf was solemn as he spoke.

"_Your Smasher has indeed passed on, Drake,"_ Kai said. _"There is nothing I can do to make him return."_

"I know," Drake replied. "I just want to know how he's doing…"

"… _He is proud of you, Drake,"_ Kai said simply. _"Though his body may decay, his spirit lives on through you. You are his Guardian, his greatest friend, and his heir. He wants you to know that he could never have asked for a stronger Guardian and…"_ he smiled. _"A greater friend."_

Drake took several deep breaths, desperately fighting back the tears that were just ready to start dribbling down his cheeks. "T-Thanks, Kai, I'll…" he was stopped by Kai's hand.

Kai now turned to Eclipse. _"… You came here with two questions. And it is here that I shall answer both. I called you here bearing a message from your Smasher-"_

"Wario!" Eclipse blurted out. "Where has he been? Is he okay?"

"… _Your Smasher was vaporized, Eclipse," _Kai told him sadly. _"He was killed saving your life."_

Drake heard it. The all too familiar gasp of shock and pain escaped from Eclipse's mouth. "W-What…? But-"

"_He does not regret the sacrifice, Eclipse," _Kai continued. _"He does, however, regret not treating you better. Upon his death, Eclipse, you are his heir. He wishes only that you do nothing to taint his reputation and that you find some way to revive Wario Wares."_

A muscle in Eclipse's jaw twitched. "I… I won't fail him." he stood up. "I must be going. I am needed back at the Mansion." he quickly left. Drake, wondering exactly what was going on, moved to follow him, but he was stopped by a paw on his shoulder.

"_No, Drake. I insist you stay,"_ Kai's gaze shifted to over Drake's shoulder. _"I sense two new auras approaching… Teal and Wolf, to be exact. I believe it would be appropriate that you also stay and listen to what I am about to tell them."_

And so Drake did stay. He stood and waited patiently as the three newcomers approached, doing his best to force a smile on his face. But while he could smile all he wanted, he knew it would be futile. He wanted to weep, weep for Game and Watch, for Meta Knight, for all that they lost in their war against Tabuu.

Teal was the first to speak once everyone was assembled. "… You called for us, Kai?"

Kai nodded. _"I did…"_ the Lucario adjusted his position, his aura flaring as he did so. _"As you are all well-aware of… I have the ability to communicate with those that have passed on."_

Wolf growled. In the midst of his recent loss, he had become gruffer, colder, more prone to violent outbursts. "We all know, Kai. Cut to the chase already."

"… _I called you here because of Heather."_ this statement took Drake by surprise. Perhaps that was why Kai took so long to pull out of his trance. _"She is proud of you… all of you. There was no way that Smashville could possibly have been freed without you."_

"It is we that hold her a debt, though," Teal said quietly. "She has touched us- all of us- in some profound way…" his voice broke. "She has helped every single one of us… and we repay her with her demise."

"_No, Teal," _Kai said solemnly. _"She insisted, quite firmly, that it was she that owed us everything. Now that peace has returned to Smashville, she can finally sleep quietly. She wishes you to remember that it was not she that dealt those final blows upon Tabuu, but you…"_

Drake swallowed. "T-Then… we'll be strong. For her." all eyes turned to him. "Smashville may be at peace today… but what about tomorrow? Next week? Years from now? We have to keep training to defend Smashville. You never know when something worse than Tabuu might come and-" his voice caught in his throat.

"And if something like that does come, we'll be ready," Wolf finished for him, a glint appearing in his eyes. "We'll be ready for Heather, Game and Watch, Meta Knight… everyone that didn't make it out."

"Indeed," Teal agreed. "I shall chronicle our story for future generations. Should this peace last until we too must part from this world, I will make sure that we can at least aid the new protectors of Smashville one way or another."

"Maybe some good came outta this mess after all," Drake said quietly, smiling as he remembered the last words he said to Game and Watch.

"_I don't know if war is an interlude during peace, or if peace is an interlude during war. But I do know that whatever happens, we'll be there to sustain it. For you, for us, for Master Hand, and above all, for Smashville."_

* * *

Wrath was finished.

He had all the necessities: toothbrush, toothpaste, money, clothes, and sword. All of that- save Galaxia- fit easily into a small backpack. Galaxia he strapped to his belt, kept respectfully in a sheathe in honor of his lost Smasher.

Doggie had told him everything. How Meta Knight had forgiven him, despite the wrongs he committed. How the Star Warrior, as a final parting gift, had given him the mightiest of all blades to use as he willed it. After Meta Knight's body had been brought to him and he had paid his final respects to his great teacher, Wrath had made up his mind.

It was time to set foot outside of Smashville for the first time.

Straightening, Wrath's gaze swept the room one last time. Here and there, paint blotches would interrupt the monotonous black wallpaper of his room. It was strange, seeing the way the bright morning sun reflected off his walls. It was quite unusual for him, alien almost. The best comparison he could think of to describe such a feeling was Captain Falcon in a tutu.

Okay, bad example.

His gaze finally fell on a drawing, the very same one Kirby had given Meta Knight one hundred years ago. Tabuu had tried many times to remove it from the wall, but it had been stuck there permanently by some magic. Frowning, Wrath walked up to this child's drawing and gave it a hard pull. It popped off the wall immediately.

Wrath looked down at the picture and, in spite of himself, allowed a grin to cross his features. For some odd reason, he felt that he was meant to take this picture along with him. Whether it was to remind him of the journey he shared with the Star Warrior or simply as a keepsake, he would never know. Tucking the picture away in his backpack, he left the room.

Smashville, with its new yellow sun, was beautiful. The sunlight seemed to bounce off the newly grown leaves of the trees and was reflected quite gloriously on the tiny little dew drops found on each blade of grass. Wrath passed many sparring Smashers and Guardians as he made his way to the edge of the lake, where he knew the Pilots were waiting.

"Flamethrower, Charizard!"

"Ivysaur, hit him with a Bullet Seed!"

Red and Lin, each of them armed with one Pokemon, were locked in a rather intense Pokemon battle. Wrath stopped for a moment to watch them, taking in the sight of Red's rose-colored face as his precious Charizard was easily getting beaten by Ivysaur… a _grass_ Pokemon. It was with much glee that Lin ordered a final attack, which send Charizard flying away. With a congratulatory thumbs-up to the new Pokemon Trainer, Wrath continued on his way.

The next people he passed were KOR and the Ice Climbers. The trio were kept busy with creating a winter wonderland right on the Smash Mansion's front lawn, as indicated by the many snow angels and various snowmen littered around them. KOR looked up from his snow-sentry long enough to wave at Wrath as he passed before he peppered his Smashers with snowballs, much to their chagrin.

He could see the lake off in the distance. Not only that, but he could see the shine of the newly fixed Arwings in the bright morning sun. Eric, once recovered, had worked long and hard to get the Arwings back in top working condition. And it really helped that Fox, Falco, and Wolf had lent a helping hand as well. Wrath felt his pulse quicken at the thought of leaving at last, finally setting out on the trip around the world he had dreamed of since he was a boy…

"Wrath! Hey, Wrath!"

He knew that voice all too well. With a small smile, he turned around towards the source. Prince Rinku of Hyrule ran up to him, right eye blackened and swollen from battle. Not far behind him was Cimar, brunette locks drenched in sweat from what looked like a sparring match between the two.

"Rinku, Cimar!" Wrath exclaimed. "How are you two?"

"Oh, you know, just a few broken ribs, strained muscles, bloody nose, bruised skin, black eye, and lack of sleep. All the usual stuff that comes with being a Guardian," Rinku replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Cimar rolled his eyes as he gave Wrath a regal nod. "I'm doing fine, thank you. Luckily, I managed to sustain far less… pressing injuries than His Highness here."

Wrath laughed. "I can tell… say, what are you two planning to do now that our jobs are over?"

"Go back to Hyrule, of course," Cimar answered.

Rinku smirked as he proudly puffed out his chest. "Hyrule needs its King!"

"And its Royal Advisor to make sure its King doesn't get himself killed before he is crowned properly," Cimar added drily. "I do believe we all have had enough death and injury to last three trips to the Sacred Realm."

"Right… anyways, what about you, Wrath?" Rinku gestured to his backpack. "From your gear, I'd say you're not too keen on staying either."

Wrath's smile widened as he nodded. "Yeah… I've had enough of this place. Spending more than a few days here is one thing… but spending your entire life here is something else entirely. The longer I stay here, the more I feel as if Tabuu's trying to call out to me, you know? Sometimes, when I'm just standing in my room, I can hear his voice… begging me to come help him…"

Cimar's face contorted in disgust. "Honestly, I hope that he is burning in Din's Sacred Flames. After all he put us through I think I'd rather be defeated by Rinku here in a duel than see him return."

"That's ri- HEY! Are you making fun of me?"

"Oh no, Your Highness," Wrath heard sarcasm dripping from every word. "I was simply praising your humbling ability with the blade."

Rinku blinked. "Oh… well, that is all well and good."

Wrath laughed. "Alright guys, I kinda have to go. I don't think I can stay here much longer."

Their expressions suddenly grew serious. It was amazing to the Guardian of Meta Knight how easily these Hylians' expressions could change. It was as if shutters had closed behind their eyes, as the life-giving spark within them was doused.

"Wrath… are you sure you wish to go through with this?" Cimar asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can come with us to Hyrule, you know… our Kingdom is in desperate need of brave warriors to defend it…"

"And if you're not up to the fighting part, we can always use new… new… whatever that word Cimar uses to try to avoid people calling him a nerd," Rinku added with false cheerfulness. This quip won him a hard glare from Cimar.

Wrath shook his head. "I… forgive me… but I must decline your offer…" Cimar removed his hand from Wrath's shoulder. "I have always wished to see the world… Tabuu usually kept me locked up in my room or in the mansion all day… My time with you has given me a sort of sense of longing to see more than just Smashville, you know? So… as much as I would love to go with you two to Hyrule, I'm afraid that I must walk my own path…"

Cimar nodded solemnly. Rinku, on the other hand, pounded Wrath on the back. "Just remember, fellow Guardian. No matter what, you'll always have a place among the awesome people of Hyrule or… uh… the nerds."

"I would _prefer_ if you used the word 'scholars' to describe us," Cimar said, obviously miffed.

"Psssh! Just accept it, Wisdom Boy! You're a nerd through and through! As if that Triforce glowing on your hand there wasn't enough to-"

"Oh, that is it! King or not, you are going DOWN!" with those words, Cimar tackled the Guardian of Link, batting away his blade. The two wrestled on the grass, not caring that their attire was slowly but surely getting covered in mud and grass. Wrath's grin widened for a second, but soon fell. It was times like these that he knew he was going to sorely miss. For a moment, he considered their offer, wondering what he could do to help rebuild Hyrule.

Then he turned to look at the horizon, where he saw the three Arwings waiting for him. Once again, he felt that familiar tug on his heartstrings, the call to see the world. Casting one last glance at the two Hylians wrestling in the dirt, he allowed a tear to roll down his cheek.

"Seeya…"

With that, he quietly went on his way, not looking back at the slowly disappearing form of the Smash Mansion and his friends.

* * *

"_Samus…"_

She was numb, a spirit, floating in the wind. She could feel nothing other than the soft layers of the ocean beneath her, the gentle soaring sky above. She felt safe, calm, better than she had felt in over a hundred years.

"_Samus…"_

There was someone calling to her. The voice was warm and familiar. Why, it sounded vaguely like Adam, but the huntress knew there was no way it could be him. Adam was miles and miles away…

"_Miss Aran, please…"_

She wondered why she was here. How she got here. The last thing she remembered was a whirling beam of light. The last thing she remembered hearing was a resounding _crack!_

The last thing she tasted was the coppery tang of her blood.

"SAMUS, WAKE UP! PLEASE! WAKE UP! SAMUS!"

The sky melted. The ocean evaporated. The pleasant sensation disappeared. Samus found herself staring at a sky made of white cloth, floating in an ocean made of that same material. She smelt the disgusting stench of medicine and sickness and decay.

She still tasted her blood.

A figure loomed over her. No, two figures. A boy and a girl. Their features were blurred, but they were quickly clearing. She made out sharp features, a bounty hunter's rifle, a pair of wings…

Traca and Golfer.

She heard a sound next to her. It was a shout of anguish. Turning her head, she saw a huge figure, the bottom half of his face covered with an oxygen mask. A messy mop of brunette hair topped the man's head. Even though she had never before seen him without his trademark helmet, there was no mistaking the bulging muscles from under those sheets.

Captain Douglas J. Falcon was in the bed next to her.

"Where…?" she managed to croak, this little sound costing her much more energy than usual. For the first time, she noticed black waves at the very edge of her vision. With her sound, they edged in a little closer. Traca left momentarily, but came back with a white cup. This was pressed to the huntress' lips.

She drank a quarter, but spilt the rest.

"You're in the medical tent," that was Joe's voice. It was heavy with tears. "You're in the medical tent, Samus… you and Captain Falcon…"

"Xavier and Doctor Mario are working to help you… help you both," Golfer added, trying to sound cheerful. "You'll be up in no time… you'll see…"

There was something in that tone of voice that unnerved her. Samus attempted to sit up, but found that she could not move her arms. Or her legs, for that matter. She was paralyzed everywhere, save her neck.

Captain Falcon looked no better. What was once a strong and healthy mass of muscle seemed reduced, shrunken even. He was white as a corpse, deep gashes in both of his cheeks revealing the bone underneath. They were bandaged, but clumsily so. A foul-smelling pus leaked from them.

As the three Guardians rambled on how surgery would cure them, Samus turned her head, trying desperately to catch the racer's eye. Captain Falcon turned his head ever so slightly, his eyes flickering upwards for a moment at something behind her. Curiously, Samus turned her head, a new sound filling her ears.

She was hooked up to a heart monitor. The line upon the screen was undulating gently, but with every passing minute, it slowed down more and more. The slower it became, the heavier her eyelids felt. She turned her head again, seeing that her fellow Smasher was also hooked up to one, the line undulating just as slowly as hers was. It was then that it hit her, the awful truth that she knew would destroy them.

She was dying.

The fuzzy black lines at the edge of her vision crept closer. Samus suddenly felt very tired, as if she were ready to take a nap. She fought desperately against her tiredness, summoning up every bit of energy she had left to speak to her Guardian one more time.

"G-Gol… fer…" she managed to cough out. Her Guardian jumped as she said his name, shuddering at the sound of her voice. "It's… okay… I… know…"

"Yeah, I know you know," Golfer choked out, desperately fighting back tears. "I know you know that you're going to get better… you and Captain Falcon…"

She shook her head. "No… I'm dying, Golfer… I know… I'm… dying…" she felt a sense of finality wash over her as she said this. It was here she knew that she had accepted this fact, and now simply had to prepare herself for what lay ahead.

"NO!" Joe snapped. "You're _not_ dying! Neither of you are! Teal or Xavier or Doctor Mario will be back here any minute! They'll cure you in an instant! Or Master Hand! Master Hand can fix you! Or-"

"Joe…" Captain Falcon's voice, still strong despite his condition, interrupted his Guardian. "Joe… please… don't kid yourself…" he took a deep breath, his voice coming out as little more than a wheeze. "Don't lie to yourself… and don't beat yourself up over this either…"

"But…" Joe trailed off, unable to form any more words. "But…"

"But it's not fair!" Golfer protested. "Out of all the people that have to go, why you two? Why now? Why anyone at all…?"

"Our time has come, Golfer…" Samus had finally found strength to speak, to voice her words. "It's now your turn… yours and Joe's turn… to carry on our legacy." she tilted her head in the direction of the racer, one of her oldest friends and now her partner to the afterlife. "Douglas and I… we both agree that you have grown… stronger… faster… smarter…"

"We're proud of you, sons," Captain Falcon said, letting out a weak chuckle. "If there's anyone that can become our replacements, it's you two." he laughed again. "Don't let our legacies get to your head, though… don't forget that… in the end… you are- we all are- still human. We have flaws, weaknesses… the real challenge is making them strengths…"

The boys were silent, their eyes downcast. Samus now shifted her gaze to Traca, who had remained silent this entire time. The manakete met her gaze with a sharp one of her one, never flinching as Samus spoke.

"… Take care of Golfer for me. You are… you're something special, Traca…" Samus blinked slowly, watching the lines creeping closer to the center. She was looking out a tiny porthole now, Traca little more than a slip of a thing in her vision. "Please, Traca…"

Traca took a deep breath, then spoke. "… Tell me… do either of you believe in a world beyond?"

An unusual question. Samus turned her head and caught Captain Falcon's eye, the racer answering her silent question with a small smile. Samus turned back to the Guardian of Roy, already prepared with her answer.

"If we didn't, Traca… we'd be a Hell lot more solemn about this."

It was with the laughter of three Guardians in their ears that Samus Aran and Captain Douglas Jay Falcon closed their eyes for the last time.

* * *

Eric finished holstering his gun, casting a glance around him at the many bright red suitcases that littered the ground. While he would very much rather stay a few more days with the Smashers and their fellow Guardians, Aly had insisted on packing up and heading to their next destination. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, of course, seeing that the folks back home were bound to be worried. Despite this, the Guardian of Lucario couldn't help but feel rather let down as he was forced to give such short, inadequate goodbyes to his comrades and friends.

"Hey Eric, are you all set?" Mars asked as he walked out from where he had been inspecting his Sky Claw's newest paint job. "Aly wants to get moving as soon as possible and I don't know about you, but the thought of her and Crystal together in one plane for too long makes my brain ache."

Eric couldn't help but allow a smile to cross his features. "Yeah, almost. We're just waiting for one last person then we can pull out."

Lucario, who had been standing next to him just about the entire time, closed his eyes. _"I sense a familiar aura approaching… Wrath, perhaps?"_

Eric whistled. "Yep, that's him. He wants to be dropped off somewhere near Unova or something like that. Mentioned something about travelling the world and getting to know the places he never got to go to."

Lucario nodded solemnly. _"Indeed… travelling is important to one's health. Helps cleanse the aura and allows for more room to grow as a person and-"_

"Cut the spiritual crap already," Falco's voice floated from below Eric's Wolfen, where he was busy changing the oil. "I already got an earful of that from Master Hand after I got my body back."

Mars walked by and gave Falco a hard kick. "Shut up and get back to work. The sooner I leave your presence, the more intact my sanity."

Falco spat at his Guardian's shoes, but did as he was told, grumbling all the way. Eric rolled his eyes as Mars turned to him and shrugged. Next to him, Lucario let out an extremely low chuckle.

"So… what's the plan anyways?" Mars asked, taking out his coin and giving it a good flip. "Because so far, all I can get is that we're dropping a bunch of people off somewhere…"

Eric exchanged a look with Lucario, the Pokemon's amber eyes encouraging him to share what he knew. "I… from what I know, we are dropping off Crystal somewhere near the coast. With a little luck, she'll be able to find her way home. Afterwards, we're going to have to head towards Unova to start Wrath on his own journey… and then…" Eric trailed off, throat feeling dry. "I… I honestly don't know, but…" unconsciously, his hand curled into a fist. "I… Do we have to leave so soon…?"

Mars let out a deep sigh, his coin glittering in the bright sunlight with each toss. "Eric, don't you remember that oath we took long ago when we became pilots? That no matter what happened, all three of us would see it through? Well, now that our job is done, it's time to move on. Smashville… yeah, this place could use some rebuilding… but what about other places? Like Tellius? Or Altea? Heck, even Lylat! I want to stay and help rebuild Smashville as much as you do, but let's face the facts. We are pretty much the only ones with the capacity to travel to different worlds. We have to be there to help rebuild those other worlds, to spread the word that Tabuu's finally bitten the dust."

Eric remained silent, only putting his hands in his pockets and gazing out to the horizon. The sun had finally brought color to the city once so gray. It was strange, abnormal to see such beauty in a world long ago corrupted by madness.

"_I know you are reluctant to go, Eric," _Lucario said quietly. _"But it is inevitable. All three of you are not meant to be caged forever. Had I not truly cared for you as one who was bound to your soul, I would have urged you with every ounce of my power to stay. However… while you may take up wings and soar away, know that together we have created a bond beyond mere teacher and student." _the Aura Pokemon placed a paw on Eric's shoulder. _"Know this, my Guardian… my final teaching to you."_

Eric felt the aura around Lucario's paws flare briefly before settling into a light blue hue. Biting back tears, he nodded once before he turned around and quite simply threw his arms around his Smasher in a great bear hug. Mars made a noise that sounded a lot like a snort when this happened, but he didn't care. He was going to miss his friends, his Smasher, and Smashville.

So why shouldn't he spare a hug or two?

"I'm glad that at least some of us can easily say our goodbyes," Crystal said quietly as she, Wrath, and Aly approached. While both she and Wrath walked with solemn expressions, the female Arwing pilot seemed quite happy, as she was whistling as she walked. However, from the way she kept close-by her Smasher, Fox, she too felt the pain of having to say farewell.

"Crystal, this goodbye was anything but easy," Eric told her, letting go of the Aura Pokemon. Lucario took a few moments to catch his breath. Evidently, Eric had hugged him _that_ hard.

Aly grinned. "I know, right? How the heck were you able to hug your Smasher without getting stabbed? Are you made out of cheese or something?" her grin widened as she fingered her gun. "I can test that for you if you want…"

Eric rolled his eyes. "Aly, can you _kindly_ lay off the constant need for target practicing for this afternoon? Please?"

His fellow pilot laughed. "Fine. But _only_ for today! Tomorrow, both you _and_ Mars are on the field! And thanks to Fox, my aim's improved!"

The mentioned Star Fox pilot chuckled. "She's right, you know. Today, she managed to hit two out of three targets!"

There was laughter all around, but it was not long before that brief moment of mirth died. For it became all too apparent that- by the way the sun was slowly making its way across the horizon- the three pilots and their passengers would soon need to take off. The weight of the inevitable fell on everyone's shoulders and, for a brief moment, they were silenced, humbled by the quiet intensity of this farewell.

Quiet Lucario was the first to speak. _"It is my belief that… that this is farewell."_

Falco swallowed audibly as he ruffled his cerulean feathers. "Yeah, yeah… what he said…"

Mars nodded, facial features tensed with the effort of holding back his tears. "W-Well… yeah. Yeah, I guess this is a seeya later." Eric would have laughed at how his partner's hand was curling into a fist, had he not felt so numb. "I… Falco, damn you, just don't trash yourself before we see each other again. And… and don't lose your soul again either. I don't think I can handle another round of you whining and crying and carrying on in my head!"

That won another laugh from the surrounding Guardians and Smashers. Aly spoke next, her voice still as cheerful as ever. Yet if one listened close enough, it could be said that hers shook very, very slightly with her tears.

"And that goes for you too, Fox!" her grin reflected the sun. "And I'll keep practicing! Sooner or later, I'll be shooting so awesomely that I'll hit Sonic! And Miles! At the same time!"

Fox grinned. "I look forward to that. Do me a favor and if you see a cranky old rabbit or an annoying little toad thing out there, give them a 'what's up', okay?"

Aly nodded. "You got it, buddy."

Crystal now spoke. "Fox… DK wouldn't allow me to see him before I depart… if you could be so kind as to speak to him for me…" she shifted, choosing her words with great care. "Please tell him that… my heart goes out to him. That if there is any way I could help him get through his loss, to just contact me in any way he can." she bowed her head. "Preferably… via banana. He knows what it means."

Fox's green eyes shifted to Crystal as he gave her a small nod. "I will. Believe me, Crystal, I will."

It was with those words and a final nod that Crystal quietly boarded Aly's Arwing. It did not take long for Aly to follow her, after giving Fox one final hug. Mars too was quick to board his Sky Claw. Eric could've sworn he saw the slight glisten of tears upon the young pilot's cheeks as he passed.

Wrath lingered a little, shifting uncomfortably. He had not been particularly close to these Smashers, and it was quite evident to Eric that he was uncomfortable with having to say his farewells. It was perhaps for that reason that Wrath could only manage a nod at the Smashers before he rushed to board Mars' plane.

The Guardian of Lucario soon became aware that all eyes were now on him and his Smasher. Eric shifted, unsure of how to proceed. But it was his Smasher that saved him, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"_Go. If you stay a moment longer, you will never wish to leave."_

Eric opened his mouth to protest, but soon closed it. Lucario was right. The temptation to stay, to throw his arms around the Smashers, to abandon whatever rebuilding worlds outside of Smashville needed, was too great. He had to leave.

As the three planes took off, Eric looked into his rearview camera to gaze at Smashville one last time. There were new leaves sprouting on the trees. Guardians and Smashers were entering and exiting the tents. Former slaves walked about, gazing in wonder at their new surroundings.

What caught his eye, though, was the great ball of fire. It had appeared suddenly, engulfing the Smash Mansion- nay, Subspace Palace- in flames. But before Eric could so much as blink at the sight, it was gone, sent careening into the skies like a comet. The only thing that was left of it was a thin trail of smoke.

A beacon of hope.


	32. Epilogue II: Family Matters

Epilogue II: Family Matters

_"Blood's thicker than water, and when one's in trouble, best to seek out a relative's open arms."_ ~ Unknown

* * *

Bowser Jr. was dying.

Those four words, not at all unfamiliar to him, caused his chest to become heavier every time he repeated them in his head. Bowser Jr., the son of one of his greatest comrades and the possible heir to the Koopa Kingdom, was dying.

Fate was much too cruel.

It had been unexpected, the way he had shown up. He, Bowser, Kai, and Fyre had been locked in deadly combat with Hammer Bros., Bullet Bills, Goombas, and Koopas. All of them- those who had once called themselves Soldiers of Bowser- were ready to kill. Bowser had been enraged, he remembered. After all, what fool would dare attempt to turn the Koopa King's army against him?

The answer had come in the form of Bowser Jr.

The declarations that were made between father and son had been… odd, to say the least. On Bowser Jr.'s side, there were many accusations of cruel treatment and neglect. On his father's side, however, there were many badly thought out explanations of why he had been forced to neglect the child and how cruel though the treatment was, he had only done it out of some strange emotion called "love".

Man, what had that Princess Toadstool done to him?

It could not be said that Ganondorf had come to "love" the boy. After all, the kid had been a downright spoiled brat with a horridly big mouth to boot. And it didn't help that he was following in his father's footsteps and losing to that overweight plumber every time they tried to take over the Mushroom Kingdom or the universe.

But in the end, the boy _had_ grown on him. Being born into a race that consisted of only women, it had been extremely hard for him to find someone to truly bond with. And it had to be said, when he arrived at the Smash Mansion and met world-dictator hopeful Bowser, he felt a sort of bond with the Koopa and his son.

The battle between father and son had been long and harsh. There was much blood spilt, many Goomba heads stomped on. Bowser had all the while pleaded and shouted abuse to the boy, imploring him to choose the right side.

Ganondorf knew that the dividing point between the two was Fyre, Bowser's Guardian. Although the Koopa King would never admit it, Fyre was much more than a Guardian to him. Such a bond had likely driven Junior to jealousy, only driving a stake of hate for his father even further into the young Koopa's heart.

He remembered all too well the cry of rage that was ripped from Bowser Jr.'s throat as he charge at Fyre. The Guardian of Bowser, too busy fending off Bullet Bills and numerous Goombas, did not have time to defend. It had been Bowser himself that leaped in front of his son, razor sharp claws raking through the air in an attempt to bat the boy away.

Said claws found his neck instead.

Now here he was, sitting next to his comrade and friend, watching as the young Koopa's slow, ragged breaths slowly began to expire. The heart monitor he was hooked up to kept up a steady, bleeping beat. It was a cruel thing, Ganondorf thought, for the healers to attempt to keep the boy alive for just a little longer by hooking him up to this.

It was only a countdown until he would breathe his last.

"Junior, Junior…" Bowser's voice was broken with tears, shattered by the cruel murder by his own claws. "Junior, forgive me… forgive me…"

Fyre placed a strong arm upon his Guardian, careful not to touch any of the spikes on his shell. In spite of his blotchy red eyes and running nose, the Guardian of Bowser said nothing. He had not known Junior like his Smasher had, but based on the memories he shared with Bowser, Ganondorf had no doubt that Fyre felt the exact same pain the poor Koopa King felt.

He heard footsteps entering the tent. Turning around, the King of Evil caught sight of Eclipse- strange to look at in his new, purified form- as he walked in and began talking to Drake. Although he was quite sure the Guardian of Wario was unaware of it, Ganondorf was watching his every move. But it was not until Eclipse moved on to speak with Kai that Ganondorf noticed two other people entering the tent.

The Hero and the Princess. Ganondorf noticed that the Hero's chest was heavily bandaged and he walked with a limp. Normally, he would lash out at them immediately, but in the light of recent events, he would spare them.

The Princess' face was solemn as she and the green-clad Hero walked up to them, her dirt and blood-stained dress beautiful in the dim light. Golden eyes locked with blue as the two Hylians regarded their Gerudo enemy. Ganondorf, for his part, did not allow his gaze to waver as he too regarded them, tensing in case either of them chose to lash out at him while he was in his suffering, vulnerable state.

Link, who was normally the silent one, spoke first. "… Ganondorf."

The Gerudo King responded with a very slight nod of his head. "Hero. Your Royal Highness…"

A muscle in Link's jaw twitched. For a moment, Ganondorf could've sworn that he was preparing himself to pounce. But it was by a small touch of his elbow from the Princess that the tension in him ceased and he spoke again.

"I… I would like to speak with you," the Hero of Light chose his words with care. "If I may-"

Ganondorf held up a hand. "Let us speak outside… this is no place for old rivals to talk."

It was unexpected, the way he said rivals rather than enemies. He saw a flash of surprise behind Link's piercing blue eyes. As the Princess stayed behind to comfort the weeping Koopa King and his Guardian, the two walked outside.

For a moment, an awkward silence fell upon the Triforce Keepers. Then, Ganondorf chose to speak.

"He was much like a son to me, you know…" he gestured back to the tent, where Bowser Jr. lay. "Spoiled and not too bright, yes, but nonetheless… the life of a Gerudo King is a lonely one."

Link shifted uncomfortably. "Yes… I suppose… given the circumstances…"

"I will also have you know," Ganondorf continued quietly. "That I no longer have any intention to launch an attack on Hyrule." Link opened his mouth to speak, but the Gerudo silenced him with a hand. "My time has come, Hero. I was supposed to die from the moment my first Guardian- you know Sorius, do you not?- was killed by yours. It was only by divine intervention that, though I was to pass into the Sacred Realm to atone for my sins, I was forced to descend upon Kai and make _him_ bear the burden of whatever is left of my soul." he solemnly bowed his head. "I… I only wish you and the Queen the best…"

"… Zelda… has chosen to abdicate," Link whispered. The Gerudo King had to strain in order to hear his voice. "She has decided to give the throne to Rinku… and Cimar… he shall be Head Advisor."

This came as a surprise to the Gerudo King. Yet at the same time, he knew that it was inevitable that the Princess would give up her throne. "Your Guardian shall make a mighty King, and…" he hesitated. "Hers shall make a wonderful scholar."

Link nodded his agreement and again, they descended into silence. As he waited for the Hero to gather his thoughts, Ganondorf began to reflect on the more recent times. Sure, there had been many spats between him and the Hero back before their souls had been stolen. It had even gotten to the point where they were each placed in separate wings of the Smash Mansion so as to avoid completely demolishing it.

But something had definitely changed over the hundred years when they were kept in jars and the time when they were forced to work together through their Guardians. Ganondorf had seen the Hero for who he truly was, the brave Knight devoted entirely to his Queen and the lonely farmhand in search of adventure. Link, meanwhile, had learned about the great responsibility the King of Evil had to shoulder and how he wished to use the Triforce to better not only himself, but his race as well.

Such talk had garnered a kind of respect for the other in each of them. While it was not nearly enough respect for either of them to consider the other a friend, it was enough for them to resist the temptation to spat at the other as they passed in the newly rebuilt halls. Not only that, but perhaps maybe, just maybe, they would someday meet again, not as enemies on the battlefield, but as friends in the Sacred Realm.

"I suppose… a congratulations is in order," he gave Link a small smile as the Hero's eyes widened in surprise. "Do not think me blind, Hero. I saw quite clearly the diamond upon her Highness' finger."

Link blushed. "Y-Y-Yes… I-" he swallowed. "I…"

"You love her, do you not?" Ganondorf asked. "Is that why you serve her with such devotion?"

Link steeled his nerves and nodded. "It is."

Before either of them could speak again, a low beep was heard from inside the tent. Such a sound was soon followed by a wracked sob and a scream of intense pain as the countdown to Bowser Jr.'s final breath ran its course. Ganondorf himself felt a pang deep within him as he realized that never again would he help Bowser attempt to transform the boy into the powerful, bloodthirsty ruler they both had believed he was destined to be.

Ganondorf bowed his head. "I wish you- both of you- the best... I hope that when we next see each other, it will be in the Sacred Realm." he turned to walk back into the tent.

A strong arm stopped him. "Wait."

He turned. "Is there more you wish to tell me, Her-… Link?"

Link nodded. "I… Both of us would be honored, Ganondorf, if you served as my Best Man."

Deep within the Gerudo King, he felt something hum. It was rather strange, as he had never felt such humming before. Perhaps, if the Hero so felt that he should be given this honor, he could spare to continue living and breathing just a little longer. Perhaps he respected the Hero more than he thought he had.

For the first time in living memory, the King of Evil knelt before the Hero of Hyrule and wept.

* * *

Tellius was a barren wasteland. It was all too obvious to Roy the moment the four of them stepped out of the portal and onto the bare ground. While he had started in surprise, Cam, Ike, and Marth simply bore the desecrated appearance of the continent with some contempt before they began walking. A very bewildered Marquess of Phrae followed them.

Master Hand had been kind enough to open a portal to Tellius at Cam's and Ike's request. Worried for their safety, Marth had proposed that he and Roy travel to the lost continent with them. Roy, of course, had jumped at the idea.

Now, standing here upon a continent that had long ago lost its former glory, Roy could not help but feel a sense of loss. From the stories Ike used to tell him, he imagined Tellius to be glorious, perhaps even more glorious than Elibe. He used to dream of travelling to the golden Tower of Ashera and taking on the Dragons of Goldoa.

Roy was led to a cemetery, where Cam and Ike both fell to their knees before tombstones. The Marquess of Phrae knew for a fact that the stone Ike was kneeling before, topped by a stone statue of a beautiful young woman with a golden ring upon her finger, belonged to Mia. Cam, on the other hand, chose not to identify who was buried beneath the earth to anyone, not even when Marth had implored him to.

Roy felt like weeping. Phrae, by now, had been desecrated in such a way that the entire continent of Elibe would surely fall. He thought of Eliwood, his poor father, and how disappointed he surely must be. His thoughts soon turned to Lord Hector of Ostia and Lilina, his childhood friend…

"Hey, guess what? We won," Ike's voice broke the silence, echoing across the empty plains. "I know it took a while, but… I'm here now, right? Everything's going to be okay…"

Roy bit his bottom lip at the sound of Ike's voice. While he did not know any of the people in this graveyard personally, there was something about the way the mercenary had so brokenly spoke that tugged at his own conscience. He soon came to a resolve: no matter how busy he was with the reconstruction, no matter how sore and tired he became, he would one day go back to Elibe.

There was more silence between them, broken only by the gentle rustling of dead plants as a light breeze blew through them. The Marquess of Phrae shifted uncomfortably as his cape, still splattered with blood, gently undulated with the draft. It was not long before he became uncomfortable with this mourning silence, but it was Marth that spoke next.

"I can see that… that this place is in desperate need of rebuilding," the prince said bleakly. Ike and Cam both tore their gaze away from their respective tombstones. "We can start with planting seeds… some of the others can help. We can make this place what it once was."

"_If_ we can find fertile ground first," Cam said quietly. He adjusted his red scarf slightly as the breeze threatened to take it away. "As far as I know, whatever the fires didn't burn likely died long ago. It's said that if we can find a Heron somewhere, we can drag 'em over to the Serenes Forest Shrine, and-"

"How do we know if that thing is still standing?" Ike asked. "We both saw that vision. There was a fire. Pretty much everyone in the United Bird Kingdom was killed, including my old friend Tibarn."

"And let's not forget that we'll also need a Heron," Roy couldn't help but add. "From what I know about them, they have no fighting ability whatsoever. The possibility of one being alive after so long is-"

"Very likely."

This was a new voice. It was soft and light, like a French Horn playing a ballad. There was an ethereal quality to the voice, as if the owner did not truly belong to this world. Yet at the same time, there was a slight tinge to it that, quite simply, screamed "terra firma".

There was another familiar quality to the voice as well. It was _the voice_. This was the exact voice Roy could've sworn he heard singing before he had been released from his glass prison.

The four men turned to face this newcomer, but as Roy soon discovered, the other three already knew who he was. The Marquess of Phrae vaguely remembered overhearing Nask and Cam discussing their meeting with a strange man in a cloak, who had given them their shard of the Smashball and transported them to Smashville. Now, as he watched pale and delicate hands slowly lowering the hood, it took every ounce of self-control to prevent him from crying out in surprise.

The face was wide open and pristine, giving the man an angelic complexion. A waterfall of golden hair cascaded gently down his back. The eyes, green like a forest bathed in sunlight, possessed a dream-like quality and reflected the man's obvious wisdom. But perhaps most remarkable of all were the two pure white wings sprouting from the man's back. They were not unlike Pit's, large and bird-like, but they were both bent at an odd angle, as if he had broken them at some point. The smile on the man's face was small, but seemed to shine brighter than any sun.

"R-Rafiel!" Ike's disbelief was plastered all over his face. "Wha- How? Why? I don't-"

The Heron chuckled as Ike sputtered on. "Ike of Crimea, must you act so surprised? After all, do you not remember that I returned to the desert with the Wolf Queen once we conquered the Tower?"

"Yeah, but that still doesn't explain-"

"Lady Ashunera, my old friend," Rafiel said quietly. "While the goddess could do nothing to save her lands, she was able to bestow her protection upon me. I was able to escape just as the Subspace Army took the desert… and since then have served as an aid to the Guardians and you Smashers."

"I suppose it was you, then, that Ike and I would hear singing on lonely nights?" Marth asked.

"And it was you that was singing when our jars started cracking right?" Roy added.

Rafiel nodded. "Yes… that was my task during the War of the Guardians… and now that the war has ended, there is a new task that I must perform." he spread his arms out wide, gesturing to the barren wasteland behind him. "The goddess Ashunera has spoken again. It is her wish that the land grow and prosper once again. And, if you three would be so kind as to help, there is no doubt that Tellius will eventually reach its former glory… and even surpass it, if all goes well."

"… I can bring in people from Altea…" Marth whispered, his youthful face lighting up as he spoke. "Surely they will be happy to come help rebuild…"

"The Guardians will do everything they can to get this place all patched up," Cam said confidently. "And who knows, maybe I can start my own mercenary guild with a couple of them…"

"I can help rebuild Crimea…" Ike said. "Make it just like how it used to be with Elincia… and Geoffery… and Lucia…"

Roy shifted uncomfortably as all eyes turned on him. Never having visited this land before, he was unsure as to what he could contribute. But something in Rafiel's kind gaze compelled him to speak, forced him to admit to the guilt that was raging through him.

"I… I have no connection to this land. Marth has stayed here before, when his Guardian first landed where she did. Cameron and Ike have both been born and raised in this land… but I… I am a stranger here. And I do not believe it to be fitting that a stranger should rebuild a land once so prosperous."

Rafiel smiled, his radiance seeming to become brighter as he did. "Ah, dear Marquess of Phrae, don't you know? Every kingdom, every continent, every home was built upon by a stranger. Stone by stone, all lands have been created by one who did not come from there. However, it is not a matter of whether or not the stranger belongs in the land to make it prosper…" his green eyes twinkled. "It is whether or not the stranger is willing to place his very best effort in the building of the land- of the kingdom- and allowing it to grow and prosper. Because stranger or not, once the kingdom is built, you belong to it whether you are a man of Tellius or a child of Elibe."

Roy smiled as a wave of relief washed over him. He had never thought of it that way. "I… yes, I understand now. Thank you."

Rafiel nodded once before he turned to the rest of the group. "… The Serenes Shrine… still stands. I believe Ike laid witness to the rebirth of a forest once before. It would be an honor if Lords Marth and Roy and Sir Cameron could witness such a miracle as well."

Without another word, he turned and began walking towards a large mass of ruins far away. Ike followed him immediately. Marth hesitated at first, but soon trailed after them with a swish of his blue cape. Roy hung back a little bit, making sure that Cam was coming.

The Guardian of Ike had knelt before his tombstone again. As Roy watched, he lowered his scarf and pressed his lips to it briefly. Then, quickly straightening, he covered his face once again and dashed after the other two. Roy only glanced once more at the tombstone long enough to read the name etched upon it before he too followed.

_Natasha_…

* * *

The first thing Yoshi thought as Mah and Beeh explained what was happening to him was "NO." Not only what they- and pretty much any Guardian that enjoyed explosions- were planning was dangerous, but it was also potentially life threatening! Who knows who would be stuck in the mansion once the plan was carried out?

"It's going to be beautiful, Yoshi!" Beeh said excitedly as she waved a few Pikmin around. Although she no longer had Olimar living within her, she still remained close to her Pikmin. "With big lights and loud sounds and just stuff going BOOM!"

"BOOM!" the Pikmin cheered.

Yoshi frowned, green brows knitting together in concern. "I don't know, you two, it sounds dangerous…"

"Danger should be our middle names by now," Mah mused as she placed little black squares on the stone floor, "We've been through so much, this is practically a warm-up for us."

"Guys! Hey guys!" Yoshi turned around, watching as Ridere hopped- more like hobbled- cheerfully down the basement stairs. According to Xavier, both of his knees had suffered heavy damage from flying debris and Chain of Light. Master Hand had fashioned knee braces for the boy that allowed him to walk, but did little to ease the pain. "Snake and I found more C4! He's piling it all into his box right now."

Yoshi watched Mah's grin widen. "Great! Just have someone bring them all down here and this place will go sky high!"

Ridere nodded. "JB and Sam are messing with the toilets right now. I'll let you guys know when you have to clear out, but make sure to get the foundations of this place, okay?"

"Got it, Ridere!" Beeh said cheerfully, giggling a little as Ridere limped his way back up the stairs.

Mah frowned as she surveyed the numerous C4 around her. "Hm… we're going to need a little more than this if we're going to blow this place up…" she turned to her Smasher. "Yoshi, can you go see if anyone has sticks of dynamite? I don't know if this C4 will be enough…"

"Sure," Yoshi replied as he mounted the stairs.

The Smash Mansion was surprisingly quiet for the day after the battle. The slaves had held a celebration late into the night, but not a single person in the Guardian army had taken part in the celebrations. They had seen too much, lost too much to find the will to kick back and relax.

It didn't matter. There was much rebuilding and healing needed to be done. It was quite possible that all of this would go on for years. But in the end, whether everyone took three days or three years to adjust, it would be worth it. Smashville was freed. That was all that mattered.

The first person Yoshi ran into was Nao. The Guardian of Mewtwo was in the process of stringing together a long chain of grenades, obviously intended to level the mansion in some way. Yoshi watched as Nao bit his bottom lip, trying his best not to accidentally set off anything.

"Hi Nao!" the little dinosaur greeted cheerfully, causing the Guardian of Mewtwo to jump. The young man quickly looked at Yoshi before setting down his latest project and smiling.

"Hey Yoshi. You nearly gave me a heart attack there," Nao grinned. "Luckily, I didn't pull any pins on accident…"

Yoshi let out a low chuckle. "Well, Mah needs some more explosives down there. Do you think you can spare a few grenades?"

Nao gestured to his chain. "What do you think I've been making this for? C4 is nice and all, but an explosion's not an explosion without a good, solid grenade." he frowned. "Then again, of course, I don't know if this'll be long enough to wind around the dungeon, though…"

Yoshi inspected the chain, taking in the metallic bands that held the grenades into place. It was actually a beautiful piece of work, strong enough to drag about several pounds of grenades, but not too heavy to carry around either. The Smasher nodded his approval.

"It's very good," he stated. "Maybe you can get a career as a metalworker once all of this is done?"

Nao shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. I'm not really sure what I wanna do with my life once this is all done and over with." he frowned. "Mewtwo… well, he wants me to continue studying with him to improve my abilities or something like that, but I think I'll just travel a little. Worker a few jobs here and there, the like…" he shrugged. "Anyways, if this still isn't enough explosives for you, try talking to JB and Sam. Last I heard, they were fooling around the armory when they found Link's old bomb supply…"

Yoshi was off before Nao could finish his sentence. Never before had the little dinosaur ran at such a speed. After all, when two people you _knew_ would cause trouble found a crate of explosives, it was only natural that you tried everything you could to prevent them from blowing themselves to smithereens, right?

Luckily for Yoshi, he caught Sam and JB just as they were about to light the bombs with Fire Arrows they took from Young Link. The younger Hero of Time was rather put out by this. _He_ had wanted to light the things himself!

"Well, okay, what if we stick them in all the toilets, then light 'em?" JB asked as Jigglypuff licked a bomb experimentally. The pink Pokemon gagged at the flavor, winning a laugh from Yoshi as he approached.

"Hey Yoshi," Young Link greeted before he turned his attention to JB. "Well, as much fun as that would be, how in the heck are we going to figure out how to light them? They'll be submerged in toilet water!"

Sam thought a moment. "Okay, maybe not the toilet, but the place where all the stuff goes once they're flushed?"

"The ocean?" Yoshi asked incredulously. "Sam, you can't blow up the ocean!"

"Well… uh… isn't there a sanitation tank or something around here?"

JB wrinkled his nose. "I don't know and frankly, I don't think I wanna go look for the thing. I intend to come out of this epic explosion of awesomeness _not_ smelling like I decided to take a dive after my waste."

"Well, maybe if we put the bombs _under_ the toilets instead…" Young Link began.

"Mah says she needs explosives for the foundations," Yoshi piped up. "So maybe you can share a few?"

"Yeah, but once we share them, there'll still be some leftover," JB pointed out. "And therefore, I say we stick them in the toilets, light 'em with Fire Arrows, then run like Hell."

"Well, do we _have_ to use them on the toiets?" Sam asked. "There's the throne too… and the kitchen… and the attic… oh! And-"

Yoshi heard running feet behind him. Running feet and shouting. Every person standing in the room whirled as the door burst open. Ridere stood there, neon green hair standing on end as he leaned against the doorframe, panting.

"Snake… and Mewtwo… they've finished planting everything on the outside of this place. Mah and Beeh are all set downstairs. If you guys are gonna do anything, do it now. We've got exactly three minutes before we blow this place to bits!"

JB spoke first, gesturing to the crate of bombs. "Is Nao back there somewhere? Because I wanna stick these in the toilets ASAP!"

At that moment, Nao teleported into the room. Being the Guardian of Mewtwo had left its mark on the young man. He now possessed minor telekinesis among other psychic abilities. "One major toilet busting coming up!" he grimaced. "Just try not to stand too close to the mansion when all the shit goes down."

With a flick of his wrist, Nao sent the crate of bombs flying. A rather loud _plop!_ from the nearest toilet told them that a bomb had found its mark. This was soon followed by quite a few more plops and it was not long before Nao waved his hand over Young Link's Fire Arrow quiver and sent them flying as well.

It took exactly ten seconds for the urgency of the situation to dawn on those in the room.

"… TO DA WINDOW!" Ridere declared as he rammed into it with his shoulder. It shattered with a resounding _crack!_, sending the young man flying down into the bushes below. His charge was soon followed by leaps as Sam, Young Link, and JB all jumped down into the bushes below.

"Let's go, Yoshi!" Nao shouted, grabbing the dinosaur by the tail before he could protest and leaping out. For a moment, time seemed to slow down as Yoshi's large nose just barely missed the shards of glass before him.

Then there was a great _boom!_ A warmth spread through the air, followed by a truly horrendous stench. Yoshi felt like he was choking, his eyes watering as he barely made out pieces of porcelain flying past him…

Nao landed on top of Jigglypuff, which greatly offended JB's Smasher. As the others looked on and laughed, Jigglypuff delivered a Double Slap to both of Nao's cheeks before preening herself and hopping towards JB. Yoshi managed to make Nao let go of his tale long enough to run to Beeh and Mah.

Mah held a detonator in her hand. Sooner or later, she would have Mewtwo physically remove the pins of the chain of grenades that was no doubt attached to the foundations of the mansion and once that was all done and good, they would activate the C4's. If done correctly, the Smash Mansion would be no more. If not…

Well, Yoshi hoped they didn't mind smelling like a sanitation tank.

"Alright Mewtwo, I think we're all ready," Mah said, nodding at the Psychic Pokemon. Mewtwo closed his eyes and opened them again, signaling that the pins had been pulled.

"We have 28 seconds to stare at this thing one more time," Snake said gruffly. "So make it count."

"Wait, why are we blowing up this place again?" Young Link asked. "Aren't you two going to hang around here when this is all over?"

JB shrugged. "Yeah, we are, but…"

The unsaid reason hung in the air. While it was quite evident that Young Link did not yet understand why the mansion had to go, it had been all too evident to Yoshi from the moment Snake and Mewtwo suggested eliminating the mansion.

The Smash Mansion had been raised by Master Hand long ago as a symbol of peace and justice. A hundred years ago, it was known as the place where the mightiest heroes and even a few villains of the known worlds would gather in fights to prove their worth. These fights grew and became the Smash Tournaments, as did the fame of Smashville as it slowly transformed from a quiet town to a bustling city.

Tabuu's conquest had transformed it for the worst. While the Smashers were encased in their jars, it was as if everything in the once glorious city fell to decay. Under Tabuu's iron fist, there was little room for mercy.

This was the last symbol of Tabuu's ascent to power. This was the final reminder of who that monster was. Yoshi was a kind-hearted being, who always tried to see the best in everyone. But in the wake of everything they had been through, even he had to agree that it was time that the past one hundred years were forgotten.

Ridere was quietly counting under his breath. "Ten… nine… eight…"

He would miss this place. True, as it stood now, it was a horribly twisted version of the Mansion he had come to know and love, but there was a certain magic about it that Yoshi knew he would sorely miss. He had some good times as well as bad times, made new friends and engaged in combat with bitter rivals.

"Seven… six… five…"

There were other things as well. He remembered the first time he came to the mansion. Jigglypuff and Ness had been fooling around the front lawn. It had taken a while, but Yoshi eventually worked up the nerve to speak to them. A beautiful friendship had been struck then, one that continued to transcend time…

"Four… three… two… one…"

Here it was. The final goodbye. Yoshi took a deep breath, allowing his eyes to take in the windows, the balconies, the walls, everything one last time…

"ZERO!"

* * *

There was nothing more romantic than a getaway at a random lake. Or at least, that's what a lot of couples seemed to believe. But according to Chi, it was just another day of helping out.

He had grown up in a tiny village, one that was far enough away from Smashville so as to not have to send anyone to work in the factory, but close enough for Tabuu's influence to spread. He had worked around the place as a handyman most of the time, acting in many odd-jobs around the place. While most people were too busy grumbling about their living conditions or their kids or their wife to really reward him in any way, Chi always found time to help Mr. Dinkleberg out with his gardening or help little Johnny King with washing his auntie's feet.

It was probably because of his kind nature that he was occasionally perceived as naïve. He wasn't really sure why, but the twins- Picho and Pichn- seemed to really enjoy coming for his help. In fact, it was his agreeing to assist them that had led him to this position.

Squall sat right next to him, looking through a telescope at a clump of bushes across the way. If Chi guessed correctly, Toon Link was no doubt hiding behind said bushes, perhaps waiting to give the signal. Up in a tree sat Kage, a pair of binoculars positioned over her eyes as she continued to spy on the two Pokemon below.

Pikana and Pikachu. Sparks had flown when they first met. These sparks ignited a small ember, which since then had grown into a roaring flame. It was this flame that had sustained the two throughout the night, as they both lay in separate cots, recovering from injured graver than the others.

Chi wrinkled his nose as he heard the two whispering sweet words to each other on the other side of the bushes. True, it was rather sweet to hear them, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it. Squall, never the one for romance, was scowling as well. It was all too evident he wanted to start the prank soon.

Chi shifted his weight impatiently, hoping that Toon Link wouldn't take too long with the wind. His adrenaline spiked up to new heights as he felt the shift, the glorious realization that it was about to happen. They would jump out and attack Pikana and Pikachu, carrying out a prank that Picho and Pichn, her brothers, had so cleverly devised. Grinning, Chi pumped his gun, and-

"You... Chi..."

Chi whipped around, nearly knocking Squall in the face as he did so. Donkey Kong stood behind him, the great ape tall and menacing in the shadows of the trees. Chi gulped, gripping his paintball gun harder as Donkey Kong looked around, regarding the situation.

"Come... Diddy ask for you..."

Chi noticed that his every word was halted, as if he were trying to speak through a dam. Giving an apologetic nod to Squall, the Guardian of Diddy Kong dropped his gun and ran after the large gorilla. They travelled across the newly grown fields for quite a bit before Donkey Kong stopped him in front of a pure white tent.

"Wait here... I go see if Diddy... if Diddy... can make final goodbye..."

Final goodbye...?

Donkey Kong was gone before Chi could say anything. Trembling, Chi sat down and took deep breaths. There was no way, just no way that this could be happening. Perhaps Diddy was pulling a prank on him. Diddy always liked pranks, right?

There was a movement behind him. Could Donkey Kong had returned so quickly? No, for as Chi turned around, it was Chester that was exiting the tent. Chi stood up to greet him, but the Guardian of Pichu's swollen eyes surprised him.

"Ch-Chester... you're..."

Chester turned to face him, his face long and drawn, eyes wide with sorrow. "... Pichu... he didn't make it..."

It was as if a dead weight had dropped in Chi's stomach. "What? But-"

"... He died, Chi..." Chester whispered. "He died trying to save Smashville..." Chester took a deep, shuddering breath, fighting to keep his emotions under control. "His greatest asset... his thunder... proved to be his ultimate downfall... because even though he managed to shock Tabuu well, he shocked himself as well. Normally he would've shrugged it off, but this last bolt... he just couldn't take it, and..." he trailed off.

"Chester..." Chi placed a hand on his fellow Guardian's shoulder. "He died a hero, Chester."

"He was more than a hero, Chi," Chester corrected. "He was a Smasher, a hero, and a friend. And I, for one, will never forget him."

"Maybe... do you think that... that you'll be able to see him, wherever you live?" Chi asked. Chester shook his head.

"No. My home was decimated long ago. There is no going back. Instead, I shall do what Pichu wished to do once the war was over. I shall travel the world, observing and documenting all that I see... perhaps I'll even be of some help to Teal and his book..."

Chi smiled at him. "You'll be of great help, I know it..." he suddenly heard a noise from inside the tent, a loud squawk that could only come out of the nose of a large, bulky animal. "Oh no... Chester, I have to go."

Chester nodded. "I understand, Chi... and... if I may be so bold..." he gave Chi's shoulder a strong squeeze. "Be brave, Chidoriss. That's what Diddy would have wanted."

There it was. That horrible, horrible finality. Chi's shoulder slumped as he entered the tent, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Diddy Kong was dead.

And there was nothing he could do to help.

* * *

Seven dead.

Three missing.

Luigi's hand curled into a fist again as he counted out the number of people yet again in his head. There was nothing else for him to do. Here he was, sitting with one arm in a sling, an icepack over one swollen eye, his nose heavily bandaged, and a massive wound on his leg hidden from him in a roll of gauze. Tabuu's Chain of Light, which had cut through him like butter as the larger man flailed, had sliced into him so deeply that it cut to the bone.

According to Dr. Mario, if it had cut any deeper, he would have needed to get an amputation. According to Xavier, he should not participate in any major reconstruction attempts for a while, which meant he would be next to useless in the rebuilding. According to Teal, if he did not remember to change his bandages at least four times a day, he would most definitely take ill.

It was strange, though. He wasn't at all afraid of taking ill. Dying, he was afraid of. Amputation, he was definitely afraid of. Ghosts, Goombas, Koopas, Bullet Bills, spiders, snakes, bugs… he was afraid of all of them. But an illness wasn't something he could see and cower over. When it invaded, it would be inside him. And Luigi knew the inside of himself enough to detect an intruder.

He had a strange train of thought, to say the least. But then again, who could blame him? Stuck in a jar for a hundred years, then finally being released, it could take a toll on a plumber such as himself. The green-clad plumber now pushed the excess thoughts from his head, narrowing his eyes as he attempted to assess the situation at hand.

Peach was a mess. Ever since she released all the anger she had pent up inside her on Tabuu, she was now little more than a sobbing mess. Mario had not yet regained consciousness by the time the blue man fell. In fact, when Bowser himself carried his old enemy in, the Smasher Leader was little more than a ragdoll in the large dragon's arms.

MS and Sakura were both attempting to calm the sobbing princess down. Twice already she had tried to rise and rush into the operating tent, and twice did MS and her Guardian have to stop her. Sakura spoke in a quiet, hushed voice, occasionally patting Peach's arm in an attempt to soothe her. MS, meanwhile, sat and listened quietly, only moving when Peach started getting out of control. Luigi noticed that occasionally, his body would quake with a dry sob.

He did not have any tears left in him to shed.

Green was pacing back and forth, dark brows furrowed deep and thought. Occasionally, Luigi would catch his Guardian's eye, an unspoken question passing between them. But every time this happened, Green answered with a quick shake of his head before he would quicken his pace.

It seemed like an eternity, but Xavier finally allowed them into the tent. The Guardian of Doctor Mario- who himself was training to be a great healer- was shaking with exhaustion. But it was with a head held high that he led the five to their dearest friend and an apologetic shake of his head as he hustled away to tend to other patients.

Luigi hung back as the others flew forward to embrace the red plumber, too horrified with the sight before him to move. Tabuu, as his final act on earth, had given his brother a curse. A curse that no amount of medicine, magic, or fighting in the world could ever cure.

Mario was bound to a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down.

It took a long while for the others to come to this conclusion. But eventually, they did. Luigi could only look on with great tears rolling down his cheeks as the others gasped and whispered, the realization of how heavy the situation truly was hitting them like a ton of bricks. Mario, however, remained composed as those around him tittered and worried, his gaze fixed only on Luigi.

"Mario... I..." Peach swallowed. "I... Oh Mario! I'm so sorry!"

Mario shook his head. "There is nothing to be sorry for, Peachy..." he reached up and touched her face. "Nothing that has happened today is your fault."

"Mario... the chair..." MS whispered. "You... you'll get better, right? Right?"

Mario shook his head. "This is permanent. You should all know that now. It is of no use lying to you if it will only hurt you all in the end... especially... especially if I intend to renounce my claim to the title of Leader of the Smashers..."

Luigi shook his head. "Brother, don't say such things! Surely you can continue to lead, even if you have no use for your legs! Brother, please!"

"No, Luigi," Mario said firmly. "It is my choice. As of today, I shall retire as Leader of the Smashers and Protector of the Mushroom Kingdom. That is final."

"But what will you do?" Green protested. "You're a lot more than just a Smasher and a plumber, Mario! You're a hero!"

Mario remained silent, only looking to Sakura for help. All eyes turned to the Guardian of Peach. Sakura, for her part, remained relatively calm as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I... I agree with Mario's decision. While he must hang up his cap and give up the life he once led, he can contribute so much more now... the Mushroom Kingdom needs a new protector... the Galaxy needs a new sentinel... and..." here, she turned to Luigi, locking her sharp blue eyes with his. "The Smashers need a new leader."

Luigi immediately shook his head. "No! I cannot accept this!"

"You must, Brother..." Mario said quietly.

"It is too much! I will not do it! I cannot match up to my brother in any way!" Luigi's voice was desperate now, frantically trying to find some way to alleviate this situation. "I am inferior to my brother in all ways, I am a coward, I-"

"No, Luigi," it was Green that spoke now, dark eyes flashing with determination. "Whether you like it or not, you are _not_inferior to Mario in any way!"

"You are my equal and my superior, Luigi," Mario told him. "You are my brother and my heir. While MS is perfectly capable of leading, he is still young, still inexperienced. He can serve well as the Leader of the Guardians... but you... you are a strong, courageous person. It was you that endured years of torture within a glass jar without complaint and it was you that was willing to risk everything to save Smashville." he hesitated. "I... I intend to settle down, Luigi... I intend to settle down and right a wrong that I committed long ago..." he reached up and touched Peach's cheek, gently rubbing away the tears glistening on them. "A hundred years ago, in fact..."

"But in the meantime, someone has to carry on Mario's duties," Green said. "It can't be me or MS... or any other Smasher, for that matter. Because frankly, no one else knows the Mushroom Kingdom better than the green-capped man himself."

Luigi tried one last time. "No... I cannot..."

He looked at each of them, meeting every single pair of eyes. He saw the sparks dancing within them, sparks that were all too familiar to the green-clad plumber. They had been present in the eyes of Toads every time Mario swore to return their Princess to them. They had been present in the eyes of the Smashers as they faced off against Tabuu during the First Subspace War. They had been there in the eyes of the Guardians, all of whom knew they were possibly only seconds away from certain death.

Something about these sparks ignited something within him. At once, he was filled with a warmth that he had not felt in over a hundred years. For the first time in his life, he felt whole, complete. No longer was he Luigi, Mario's cowardly brother, the Other Brother, the Pants-Wetter of the Mushroom Kingdom. No, now he was Luigi Mario, one of the mightiest heroes of the day and proud Smasher of Green.

"The Mushroom Kingdom needs a protector, Luigi," MS said. "And you're the right guy for the job."

"The Galaxy needs a new sentinel," Sakura added. "There is no other person in the world that has travelled throughout the stars more than you."

"The Smashers need a leader," Green grinned. "And let's face it, there's no one else that can do it."

For the first time in years, Luigi smiled. "This plumber needs to be his own man." he raised his eyes to the heavens. "He has been living in his brother's shadow for too long."


	33. Epilogue III: Rebirth

Epilogue III: Rebirth

"_There's a rebirth that goes on with us continuously as human beings. I don't understand, personally, how you can be bored. I can understand how you can be depressed, but I just don't understand boredom.__"_ – Dustin Hoffman

* * *

How ironic was it that, after everything that had happened, he was the only one not celebrating?

He saw the Smash Mansion, nay, the Palace of Tabuu getting blown to bits. He saw numerous Guardians and Smashers sparring as if they had not another care in the world. He saw numerous Guardians and Smashers running towards the source of the Smash Mansion Explosion, laughing and pounding each other's backs like this was just another day at the base upon Mount Smash.

But the only thing he had eyes for was the lone figure sitting in front of two large rocks.

Fate had a tendency to be incredibly cruel. Not only that, but it also had a tendency to favor some people. While many of the Guardians managed to evade death on the battlefield, some of the Smashers weren't so lucky. While many of the Smashers managed to leave the battlefield with little injury other than the ones sustained during their beatings through Final Smash, the Guardians were not so lucky.

But even death would be better than what happened to her.

She had been carried in by him and him alone. Her broken body- even lighter in his grasp than he had expected- had been laid upon a hospital bed, where healers swarmed around her. He had been pushed aside and made to wait outside as the healers worked.

It seemed like years, but she eventually managed to walk- or in her case, limp- out of the tent. Whatever magic was being used upon her ribs to allow them to mend seemed to be working. She was having trouble breathing, but smiling. Pale, but glowing.

As usual, Fate had been cruel.

A whole life-changing journey was lost that day. Lessons learned, bonds created, victories savored, were all lost. Whatever blows she had sustained upon her head from Tabuu's crushing chops had caused so much trauma that everything she had worked for, strived for, and suffered for was lost.

His Guardian no longer remembered who he was.

He sat now upon a branch in a tree, watching as she reached out and touched each of the two stones one by one. Her brow was furrowed in that all too familiar way, the expression reminiscent of when she was attempting to remember something. He watched her slim fingers trace the letters etched upon these two rocks, tears threatening to roll down his cheeks as she blankly stared at each of them.

A for "Austin".

T for "Takashi".

But only he understood who they were.

"It is cruel, you know," a voice behind him remarked. "To simply allow her to be in such a state."

Pit, taken by surprised, whirled around, his bow out and ready. The pristine white glove of Master Hand met him. Ashamed, the angel stowed his weapon and gave the Creator a deep bow. "M-Master Hand, forgive me, I-"

Master Hand stopped his words. "I should be the one apologizing, Pit. I did not mean to shock you so."

Pit shook his head. "I… it's nothing. Please, don't let this bother you." he shifted a little as he attempted to get into a more comfortable position. "What… what brings you here?"

Master Hand gestured to the landscape around them, restored in some part by his power. "I simply wished to observe my work… I hope it is to your liking."

"It's… nice," Pit said evenly, unsure of how to respond. Indeed, now that a few leaves and blades of grass were poking their way through the newly fertilized soil, Smashville would be reborn again.

"Could use some flowers, though," Master Hand continued, pointing to the many soil patches surrounding what was once the mansion. "I believe young Princess Peach and a few of the Guardians would be perfectly happy planting flowers… that is… once the proper mourning is done with…"

Pit nodded, his gaze shifting once again to the girl sitting in front of the two rocks. She had long ago given up her tracing, now content with simply laying down on her stomach and humming to herself. Although he could not hear it, Pit was almost sure he knew exactly which song she hummed.

It was not one that you would forget easily.

Pit heard a strange noise coming from Master Hand. If he didn't know better, he would have thought it sounded a lot like a "ho-hum". But Master Hand would never do that…

… Would he?

"… I suppose… you know of her condition," Master Hand said quietly, placing his pinky on Pit's shoulder. The angel sighed and bowed his head, wishing that he could disappear.

"I… I just can't believe that after everything we went through, she just…"

"Fate is cruel, Pit," Master Hand said sagely. "It has played many tricks upon unsuspecting heroes in the past. The only thing you can do is to take those tricks and endure. Endure and grow…"

"But why did it have to be her?" Pit protested. "All of the time we spent learning from each other… she doesn't remember any of it! She doesn't remember her past, her Smasher… she can't even remember her own name!" his hands curled into fists, shaking with every ounce of his frustration. "Why… just… just _why_ did it have to be her? Why her? Why now? _Why_?"

Master Hand regarded him for a moment, before he turned away. "As I have said… Fate can be cruel…" he touched Pit's shoulder. "There is nothing I can do to help your Guardian… but I assure you that I believe it is best that if you care for her, if you truly care for her, that you do not leave her in such a state." Pit heard the smile in his voice. "You are the only living person that knows her best, Pit. While you cannot truly give back her memories, you can help her re-shape who she once was… and the brave young warrior you know she is destined to be…"

Pit looked away as Master Hand removed his finer from his shoulder. "I just don't know if I can do it, Master Hand, I-" but when he looked back, the Creator had vanished.

The angel turned and regarded his Guardian once again. She had abandoned the kneeling and was now simply standing before the two stones. Once again, her brow was furrowed. Once again, he knew all too well that she was trying to call forth some memory that now lay buried deep within her sub-consciousness.

It couldn't hurt him to try.

He spread his wings- which he was still not used to using after all these years- and took off. The sound of his sandals touching the damp grass caught her attention. She turned to him and smiled, brown eyes shining.

"Hi! How are you?" she asked. The smile she gave him was unfamiliar. He had long ago become accustomed to the sweet smiles she gave him, or the mischievous ones she often wore. But this smile, this was very similar to the one she gave him when they first met.

He was a stranger.

"I'm… fine," the angel replied, struggling to find words. "And you?"

Psyche shrugged. "I've been kinda wondering about these rocks… I mean, who would etch such random letters into them?"

Pit managed a small smile. "Yeah, does seem pretty silly, doesn't it? But… you know, they're kind of honoring letters. Paying respect to two really, really brave people."

She laughed. "That's real cool!" she looked back at the two rocks. "I… I hope I get to meet them soon. Everyone here seems really nice, but they keep looking at me funny." she shrugged. "I know I'm not much of a looker, but…"

Pit cleared his throat. "Yes, well… maybe you should try talking to some of them?"

It nearly broke his heart, the way she waved her hand at him. She had often done that when she thought he was saying something idiotic or ridiculous. "Yeah, yeah, right after I'm done admiring this place. That's what I came here for, after all?" she flashed another smile at him. "What about you? What's a… whatever-you-are like you doing here?"

Pit took a deep breath. "I… I came here to speak to my Guardian."

She tilted her head, brown eyes gleaming in the bright sunlight. "Oh? What's his name?"

He swallowed, fighting back against the lump that was quickly forming in his throat. "Her… her name's Psyche… and she's the bravest person I've ever met."

She reached out and took his hand. "Why don't you lead me to her? She sounds cool!"

He smiled. "Yeah… yeah, she's pretty cool." he knew that bringing the Psyche he knew back would be tough. It was highly likely that she would never be the same again. But in spite of everything, this was a start. And perhaps, if he tried hard enough, it could lead to something more.

He pulled out his Mirror Shield with his free hand, making sure the surface was free of dirt and dust. Steeling his courage, he lifted it up to her face, taking extra care to capture every feature of it. It was with her face reflected in his mirror, his eyes, and his heart that he spoke.

"She's right here."

* * *

_I've heard legends of those people_

_How they plunged into enemy territory_

_How they saved the Golden Land_

_I've heard legends of those people_

_How they traveled the breadth of the land, _

_Reducing all they touched into rubble_

_I've heard legends of those people_

_I've heard legends of the Guardians_

_Revered by many—I, too, revere them_

_Feared by many—I, too, fear them_

_Now, those people_

_Stand at my side_

_Now those people stand at my side_

_Now my friends are with me_

_Some of them were once heroes_

_Some, my mortal enemies_

_And as we face each other in battle, locked in combat_

_We shine even brighter._

_Guardians Arise!_

* * *

**A/N: Thank you. Thank you for everything.**

**Thank you to Archsage_Julz, my beta-reader, for being there for me through good times and bad, for helping me grow as a writer and as a person, and for inspiring me to push beyond my limits.**

**Thank you to Pikana, my greatest source of inspiration, for your Circo de la Luna, for your friendship, and your crazy, crazy obsessions.**

**Thank you to Wrath_Draconian, the artist that made the Guardians come to life, for being a wonderful friend, and for being a voice of reason in my world of wild happenings.**

**Thank you to Austin and Takashi without whom chapters would be years in the making.**

**Thank you to everyone at Fanficunderground, without your support, this story would have been abandoned long ago.**

**Thank you to Foxpilot, for being a shining beacon of cheek and humor when I drown in the midst of Writer's Block.**

**Thank you to every single person that contributed a Guardian to this story. Without your help, there would be Smashers without Guardians, words without meaning, and a tale without substance.**

**Above all, thank you, my dear readers, for staying with me- through good chapters and bad- until the very end. Without your support, I would have given up on this story long ago. Without you, Guardians would never have happened.**

**Though our tale comes to an end, our adventures with the Smashers have only just begun. While I cannot guarantee a sequel, I will say that I have stories in mind. For now, they are simply plots bouncing around my mind. But, with your support, I know that I can help them take root and grow. Remember, the writer of the story only places the words on the page. It is the readers that make them come alive.**

**See you around. **


	34. Two Tales

Two Tales

**Today I bring you two "commercials", if you will. One is for an AU of Guardians Arise which will be worked on sparingly. (Read: Whenever I feel like it) The other…**

* * *

"They're killers, you know," Cam said quietly. "And if they catch one glimpse of us- any of us- we're dead."

"But why us?" Beeh asked. "Why don't they pick on someone their own size?"

Cam paused, regarding the young girl with an air of sadness. "We are the living embodiments of their Hearts, Beeh. We're what prevent them from unleashing the Final Smashes. Once they sacrifice us, it's all over."

*GA*

"YOU FOOL!" Link screeched, swiping his sword at the woman's face. Zelda hissed as she fell back, a milky white hand trailing up to stem the flow of the jet-black liquid streaming down her face. "Don't you understand? We need those damn Guardians dead in seven days time!"

Zelda stood there, panting, her hand stained with her own blood, red eyes glittering with hate. "Tell me, my love… how many times have you lost to that idiot Guardian of yours… Rinku?" she allowed a malicious grin to cross her features as the man codenamed Courage roared in his primal rage.

*GA*

"I just don't understand, Teal," Joe said quietly. "Why can't we just fight back? Why are we hiding like this?"

Teal let out a low sigh, his fur bristling slightly as a cold wind bit his cheek. "Because the moment we choose to unleash more than the weakest abilities their Hearts give us, Smashville will fall to ruin. More lives will be destroyed, more disasters shall consume this world…" he gritted his teeth, body shaking. "And it will be all our fault."

*GA*

"Our Souls should have passed on a century ago. Our Bodies should have turned to dust," Captain Falcon growled. "But the Master has been kind. Only a hundred blood sacrifices a day, and he'll be able to sustain our Wills, our Souls, and our Bodies for another day on this earth… and after one hundred years, once he rises, he will be able to give us power beyond anything we could ever comprehend!" he picked up the ceremonial dagger and advanced towards his captive. "Do you feel any fear now, Sacrifice Number One Hundred?"

Eric struggled against his bonds. "The day I fear you is the day I _don't_ have a back-up plan!" he roared. "NOW!"

**Guardians Arise: Dance of the Crimson Knives**

**Found on PitFTW's profile.**

**Spring 2012**

* * *

"Seven years," MS whispered. "And it's felt like a lifetime…" he turned around. "Can you believe it?"

Green shook his head. "I can't believe the seven years… but what I _can_ believe is that things have seriously gotten a lot better around here since the last time I visited."

*GA*

"Hail Naskara! Queen of Altea!"

One million throats roared their approval. The doors before them opened, revealing the ornate rooms within. One by one, a member of the Council stepped out and bowed before shuffling to the side.

But no Queen walked out.

*GA*

"Wrath, there isn't much time!" Crystal shouted over the roar of the flames. "It's now or never!"

Wrath gritted his teeth and raised his sword, Galaxia glittering deadly gold in the dim light. Blinking back tears he charged, wind whistling past his ears. His foe was nothing more than a blur, a shape that grew larger and larger as he approached. Here he was, a Guardian once again, ready to make the kill…

But he couldn't.

*GA*

"Their bonds have been reawakened," Master Hand shook as he spoke, from fear and from anger. "It's all my fault, Crazy, all my fault… I should have told them, Crazy… I should have told them seven years ago…"

*GA*

"WE CAN'T KILL THEM!" Sam shouted, slamming his katana down on a nearby table. "I DON'T CARE HOW HARD WE TRY! WE CAN'T KILL THEM AND THEY KNOW IT!"

Roe's hand curled into a fist. "But no matter what, we have to try… even if…" his voice grew harsher, more intense as he spoke. Hate dripped from every word, his eyes seemed to glow red with anger. "Even if it means having to kill them all over again."

*GA*

"I'll be there for you," Link whispered brokenly, his voice choked with tears. He placed a hand on her stomach. "For both of you…"

*GA*

"Who… who are you?" Psyche whispered, gazing up at the young man's glowing features. "… What are you?"

The brunette grinned. "I'm Austin."

**Guardians Arise 2: The Awakening**

**Found on PitFTW's profile.**

**April 18, 2012**


End file.
